CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

30 September 2009

Product News

Agilent Technologies Announces MMIC Tool Bar Personality for United Monolithic Semiconductors’ pHEMT Processes

Agilent Technologies Inc. announced the availability of an add-on process design kit (PDK) with enhanced, foundry-certified features for United Monolithic Semiconductors’s (UMS) popular pHEMT processes (PH25, PH15, PPH25 and PPH15). Providing the most complete MMIC design flow available using Agilent’s Advanced Design System (ADS) platform, the new MMIC tool bar personality completely revamps layout functions, adds many design automation and routing capabilities, and helps streamline the MMIC design process. The add-on PDK is available now from UMS.

The new MMIC tool bar personality enables the full set of ADS layout editing commands customized for UMS PDKs, including several single-button commands for converting a trace to transmission-line elements, automatic via insertion, invoking a 3-D layout viewer, and launching the ADS desktop design rule checker -- just to name a few. These capabilities improve design efficiency by enhancing the design verification and synchronization between the ADS schematic and layout environment. Along with the industry-proven 3-D planar EM technology, MMIC designers can now enjoy the MMIC design flow ADS provides.

“We are excited to provide this add-on PDK to use with Agilent’s ADS MMIC design platform,” said Eric Leclerc, manager of UMS’s foundry business department. “This enhanced PDK will largely improve the design experience for both our internal MMIC designers and external customers. Such upgrades will also ensure that ADS users of UMS kits have a complete front-to-back end design flow. We intend to bring this feature to other technologies in the near future.”

“This add-on PDK further strengthens our collaboration with UMS, one in which we will work to continuously bring value to our common customers through advanced PDK development,” said Avery Chung, foundry program manager of Agilent’s EEsof EDA division. “Our recent investment in PDK development has been well received by our common customers. Furthermore, with ADS 2009, users will be able to extract X-parameter* models of their PDK designs either directly from ADS or through Agilent instrumentation, providing them with an accurate and complete unified behavioral modeling capability and further simplifying the design process.”

Agilent customers can find the latest UMS ADS PDK list at: http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/editorial.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=1741171&id=1741171&cmpid=zzfindeesof-foundry-ums.

ADS offers complete design integration to designers of products such as cellular phones, wireless networks, radar and satellite communications systems, and high-speed digital serial links. As a leading solution for high-frequency design, ADS supports system and RF design engineers developing all types of RF designs -- from simple designs to the most complex and from RF/microwave modules to integrated MMICs for communications and aerospace/defense applications. For more information about ADS, visit http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/product.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=1297113&nid=-34346.0.00&id=1297113.

About United Monolithic Semiconductors

United Monolithic Semiconductors designs, produces, and markets RF, microwave and millimeter wave components and integrated circuits (ICs) for the telecommunications, space, defense, automotive and ISM industries. The company’s positions itself as a “one-stop” supplier to the wireless microwave and millimeter-wave market, offering a broad range of standard and custom MMICs along with an open foundry service. The company has two production facilities, in Orsay, France, and in Ulm, Germany. The company’s products and technologies offer performance and high volume capacity. Most technologies are available in open foundry service mode. For more information about UMS and its products and services, please visit http://www.ums-gaas.com/

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