EDA tools supplier Xpedion Design Systems, Inc. and foundry service provider Jazz Semiconductor have announced a partnership to deliver a qualified model and simulation environment for next-generation RFIC design.

"One of the biggest challenges in completing functional RF transceiver design is the multitone simulation of full transmit and receive chains post layout parasitic extraction. Delays of weeks, if not months, are incurred in getting the design to Jazz due to either simulator capacity limitations or simulations that just fail to converge. Failure to properly account for these parasitics usually translates into multiple respins of the product to get it fully functional and working to spec,” said Paul Colestock, director of technical marketing and applications engineering of Jazz Semiconductor. “Jazz and Xpedion have been collaborating for the last two years to validate Xpedion's GoldenGate Multitone Simulation capability with our tier-one customers and have seen a dramatic improvement in getting tape outs completed on schedule and also first-time design success on very sophisticated RF systems on a chip. The success of this collaboration and Xpedion's world class support of Jazz customers has led Jazz to now include the GoldenGate simulator in our Model QA process. Now not only can Jazz customers take advantage of GoldenGate's capacity, speed, and accuracy to finish their designs on time but they can also be assured that new releases of Jazz Design Kits will be fully tested with GoldenGate.”

Fabless RFIC semiconductor companies are faced with short design cycles and increasing integration rates due to the pressures of the consumer marketplace. Two critical variables in this equation are high-quality device and statistical process models and a simulation environment that can verify the entire radio. Jazz Semiconductor and Xpedion Design Systems provide these components necessary to reduce design spins and meet high volume targets.

"Meeting tight specifications and manufacturing reliably in high volume are critical for today's consumer-oriented RFIC designs,” said Pete Rodriguez, chief executive officer of Xpedion Design Systems. “Jazz, a leading RFIC foundry, has continued to support both the quality of models delivered to customers as well as reliable manufacturing capabilities for high volume ramp. Xpedion is pleased to work with Jazz to combine modeling and simulation expertise to provide our customers the environment needed for complex consumer RFIC designs.”