ARM, IBM, Samsung Electronics, GlobalFoundries and Synopsys have delivered their first complete vertically optimised 32/28nm design platform, which uses a new high-k metal gate approach to address the limitations of polysilicon technology.
The new offering consists of optimised high performance, low-power processor and physical IP from ARM; tool enablement, connectivity IP and integrated design flow from Synopsys; and 32/28nm low-power process technology from the common platform alliance of IBM, Samsung and GlobalFOUNDRIES.
The companies said that the 32nm technology is scalable to 28nm for area optimisation and allows customers transition to 28nm technology without the need for a major redesign and with lower risk, reduced cost and faster time-to-market.
The new platform utilises ARM Cortex high-performance, low-power processor architecture and optimised suite of physical IP, including standard cells, power management kit, memory compilers and interface IP, for the 32/28nm HKMG process; Synopsys Lynx Design System, enabled by the Galaxy Implementation Platform with IC Validator In-Design physical verification, and the Synopsys DesignWare(R) portfolio of interface IP.
The 32/28nm process technologies, featuring new Gate First approach to HKMG, offer improvements in performance and power consumption when compared to the 45/40nm technology generations, the companies claim.
In addition, the 10 test chips produced through the three-way collaboration in 32 and 28nm HKMG process technology has helped validate the design platform, including Common Platform PDKs, ARM Physical IP and Cortex processors, Synopsys Interface IP, core tool enablement and design methodology for accelerating first customer silicon success, the companies added.
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