UMC adopts Legend Design Technology’s CharFlo-Memory! toolset

UMC now has the means to easily verify the impact a process change  might have on memory IP function and reliability.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., -- December 15 2003 - Legend Design Technology, Inc. today announced that leading global semiconductor foundry UMC has adopted its CharFlo-Memory! toolset for customer silicon success on the foundry’s process technology. Based on layout-extracted circuit data with resistors and capacitors, Legend’s CharFlo-Memory! toolset has the capacity to generate accurate on-chip memory instance models at any PVT (process, voltage and temperature) corner.

Patrick Lin, Chief SOC Architect at UMC, commented, "Memory is becoming increasingly important as System-On-Chip (SOC) designs evolve. UMC is helping designers overcome time-to-market hurdles by providing easy access to third-party memory compilers to generate the IP blocks ready for integration into customer designs. Nowadays, generic CMOS technology has diversified into multiple variants such as high speed, low power and high density etc. Most importantly, each and every process variant now need to have its own characterization. Since each process variant is slightly different from the others, it is necessary to re-characterize them for the specific process to be used – this to ensure desired performance and silicon yield.

For the ‘what-if’ analysis on any PVT corner, Legend’s CharFlo-Memory! has automated the characterization task and accomplished it accurately and efficiently. UMC now has the means to easily verify the impact a process change might have on memory IP function and reliability.”

"Quality and reliability of embedded memories are essential for silicon success of deep-submicron and nanometer SOC designs," said You-Pang Wei, president and chief executive officer of Legend Design Technology. "With the adoption of Legend’s Charflo-Memory!, UMC has achieved the leading edge solution for memory IP quality assurance and verification. We’re pleased to work closely with UMC in meeting their needs for supporting customers’ state-of-the-art SOC designs."

About Legend Design Technology, Inc.
Legend Design Technology, Inc. is a leading provider of characterization and simulation software for semiconductor Intellectual Property (IP) in SoC designs. With an emphasis on productivity and value, Legend’s CharFlo-Memory! toolset which includes MSL, SpiceCut, MemChar and MSIM, revolutionize the time consuming and error prone processes associated with characterization. SpiceCut can automatically build critical-path circuits to reduce simulation time for characterization, especially from post-layout extracted circuits with resistors and capacitors. MemChar can automatically characterize the memories and generate the ‘true’ timing and power models. MSL can automate memory characterization with customized setup of '.Lib-in and .Lib out'. MSIM is a characterization-oriented circuit simulator with post-layout RC reduction capability. With high accuracy, high speed and licensing models, MSIM can provide excellent price-performance.
For more information, visit www.LegendDesign.com