SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 31, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Magma® Design Automation (Nasdaq:LAVA), today announced the availability of a proven hierarchical RTL-to-GDSII reference flow for the Common Platform™ alliance's 32/28nm low-power process technology. This automated, comprehensive solution provides predictable results and reduces development costs for 2-million-instance and larger systems on chip (SoCs) that are manufactured at this advanced process node.
The hierarchical reference design was implemented using Magma's full RTL-to-GDSII flow and the ARM 32/28-nm LP process libraries; standard cells, memory compilers and GPIO. This successful design implementation demonstrates that the flow provides key capabilities required to build multi-Vdd low-power SoCs, validates tool and library interoperability and facilitates rapid user adoption through the inclusion of a sample design which can be accessed from Magma or the Common Platform alliance.
This integrated hierarchical RTL-to-GDSII reference flow is based on Magma's Talus® 1.1, Hydra™ and Talus Power Pro, providing a comprehensive low-power hierarchical solution. Talus 1.1 is an integrated RTL-to-GDSII implementation solution that performs timing optimization concurrently during routing – rather than sequentially before and after place and route – providing faster overall design closure with better performance and predictability. Hydra is a hierarchical design planning solution for large systems on a chip (SoCs) and features out-of-the-box reference flows for enhanced ease of use and faster delivery of better floorplans. Talus Power Pro supports power optimization techniques required in low-power designs, including multiple voltage domains, which enable the optimal tradeoff between performance, area and power, and clock gating for dynamic power reduction. Talus Power Pro supports both the UPF and CPF standards for power intent.
"The Common Platform alliance 32/28-nm process with Gate First High-k Metal Gate (HKMG) technology maximizes power efficiency and transistor scaling while minimizing die size and design complexity," said Andy Brotman, vice president of Design Infrastructure at GLOBALFOUNDRIES. "By partnering with Magma to develop and deliver this reference flow, we enable our mutual customers to quickly take full advantage of leading software and advanced process technology to get the best results and time to market for their advanced designs."
"Magma software is specifically architected to address the complexity, size and power requirements of multimillion-gate ICs targeted at advanced nodes," said Premal Buch, general manager of Magma's Design Implementation Business Unit. "The Magma-Common Platform alliance reference flow will provide designers with additional confidence in their ability to successfully meet the power, performance and turnaround time goals of advanced ICs."
Magma will feature its reference flows for the Common Platform alliance 32/28-nm LP and 65-nm LPe processes at GLOBALFOUNDRIES' Global Technology Conference on Sept. 1, 2010 in Santa Clara. For more information about GTC 2010, please visit: www.globalfoundries.com/gtc2010/.
Availability
The reference flow is available upon request from IBM, Samsung Electronics, GLOBALFOUNDRIES and Magma.
About the Common Platform
IBM, Samsung Electronics and GLOBALFOUNDRIES have forged a unique manufacturing collaboration, featuring 28-nm, 32-nm, 45-nm, 65-nm and 90-nm process technologies. By combining the expertise and research resources of all three companies and leveraging advances such as high-k metal gate technology, 193-nm immersion lithography and ultralow-k dielectrics, the Common Platform technology collaboration is able to accelerate the availability of leading-edge technology to foundry customers. The Common Platform model is supported by a comprehensive design-enablement ecosystem, enabling foundry customers to easily source their chip designs to multiple 300-mm foundries with minimal design work and with unprecedented flexibility and choice.
About Magma
Magma's electronic design automation (EDA) software provides the "Fastest Path to Silicon"™ and enables the world's top chip companies to create high-performance integrated circuits (ICs) for cellular telephones, electronic games, WiFi, MP3 players, digital video, networking and other electronic applications. Magma products are used in IC implementation, analog/mixed-signal design, analysis, physical verification, circuit simulation and characterization. The company maintains headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and offices throughout North America, Europe, Japan, Asia and India. Magma's stock trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LAVA. Follow Magma on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/MagmaEDA and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Magma. Visit Magma Design Automation on the Web at www.magma-da.com.
Magma and Talus are registered trademarks and "Fastest Path to Silicon" and Hydra are trademarks of Magma Design Automation Inc. All other product, company and institution names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Forward-looking Statements:
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements that the Magma-Common Platform alliance reference flow streamlines the design and manufacture of low-power 32/28-nm ICs and about the features and benefits of Magma and Common Platform alliance products, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially including but not limited to the ability of Magma and Common Platform products to produce the desired results, the companies' abilities to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and the companies' decisions to continue working together. Further discussion of these and other potential risk factors may be found in Magma's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov). The company undertakes no additional obligation to update these forward-looking statements.