Siemens and UMC collaborate on design kit for automotive and power applications

Siemens Digital Industries Software and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) have recently reached a cooperation to jointly develop a process design kit (PDK) for UMC's 110nm and 180nm BCD technology platforms. UMC is a global semiconductor foundry industry leader focusing on logic and specialty technologies. The new PDK developed for it has been optimized for Siemens EDA's Tanner™ custom design flow tool to support innovative designs of various integrated circuits (ICs) in automotive and power applications.

Siemens EDA’s custom IC design kits, built using its Tanner software, are now available for UMC’s BCD process. UMC’s 110nm and 180nm BCD platforms offer best-in-class chip design kits and integrated product solutions for applications requiring power management ICs (PMICs), battery management ICs (BMICs) and fast wireless charging ICs.

BCD technology provides power IC designs with operating voltages up to 100V, enabling superior performance and high integration of analog circuits and digital content, as well as power components and embedded NVM.

Li Qiude, Chairman and Associate Manager of UMC High Voltage Product Line Committee, said: "With the development of innovative technologies such as AI and IoT, diversified applications are being driven, and technology is also moving towards more functions, high performance, and small size. UMC and Siemens are working together to provide customers with the tools they need. Driven by strong market demand, the process design kit of the BCD technology platform jointly developed this time has been verified and put into production by dozens of customers, effectively providing customers with the solutions they need for innovative applications."

Tanner software from Siemens EDA Provides advanced, high-performance, easy-to-use schematic and layout editors, integrated with best-in-class circuit simulators and Calibre® software, the industry-leading design rule checking, parasitic extraction, and physical verification solution. Tanner software has 30 years of market success and has helped thousands of designs to tape out successfully.

“Our collaboration with UMC will help our mutual customers get started and improve productivity with certified process design kits for BCD technology,” said Fred Sendig, general manager of the IC Design Solutions business unit at Siemens Digital Industries Software. “These certified PDKs enable UMC customers to take advantage of the full Siemens EDA custom IC design flow, helping them on their path to innovative applications.”