The setting is based on Cadence Virtuoso Liberate Characterization Solution and Spectre Circuit Simulator, and includes environment setup and sample templates for TSMC standard cells.

Utilizing native Spectre API integration, the combination of the Liberate solution and Spectre Circuit Simulator delivers superior convergence and accuracy, enabling mutual customers to speed up their library characterization cycle.

In testing performed with TSMC, the combined Cadence characterization and simulation solution reduced the turnaround time by half for 16nm FinFET standard and complex cell-characterization cycles.

As a result, TSMC has incorporated the Liberate solution with Spectre Circuit Simulator into its library characterization production flow for the latest 16nm FinFET libraries.

Libraries characterized by the Cadence characterization solution were used in the 16nm FinFET v1.0 static timing analysis (STA) tool certification, including the Cadence Tempus Timing Signoff Solution and other STA tools.

The reference kit gives TSMC customers the tools needed to enable re-characterization that addresses their specific design challenges with a consistent methodology that meets TSMC’s stringent accuracy and performance requirements. The Liberate solution also continues to support third-party circuit simulators.

“Library characterization is an important part of 16nm FinFET collaboration with TSMC,” said Tom Beckley, senior vice president, Custom IC & PCB Group at Cadence.

“Through this collaboration, customers can benefit from improved throughput, accuracy and capacity required for 16nm FinFET library characterization.”