Mentor Graphics Corp, currently engaged in a hostile bid to acquire Quickturn Systems Inc, has in the meantime signed an agreement to acquire OPC Technology Inc, an optical and process correction company. OPC’s technology offers increased silicon yield, performance and reliability to chip designers and system- on-a-chip designers, and is said to offer more efficient utilization of fabrication facilities. OPC’s products will be used to extend Mentor’s Calibre physical verification product line with optical rule checking and OPC’s SignaMask software for improved masking. Many companies from the Mentor installed base [say] that they will only deploy OPC tools into production if correction is integrated with trusted verification – specifically the Calibre tool, said OPC president and CEO Mick O’Brian. Based in San Jose, OPC was founded in 1997 and is privately-held. Terms were not disclosed.
