RF CMOS Tech File Models Question

Hi guys.

Being myself a student from Europe, we have access to foundry's models through Europractice programme. However, in the latest PDKs to which I have direct access, only standard RF models are available, i.e. Virtual Inductor Libraries and RF Modelled NMOS.

Unfortunately, this gives little space of manoeuvre to RF designers. So, I wonder how can I gain access to the complete tech. file models descriptions so I can use then in ADS to simulate fancier structures (e.g. baluns).

Is Europractice providing then directly, or I need to get into direct contact with a given Foundry?

With my best regards.

Inductors are one thing, common in RF CMOS. Transformers
are another entirely. Does the foundry, whose PDK you're
using, offer baluns under any kind of relationship? At all?

You're complaining about not being given every device you
could want. To me it looks more like industry-normal, the
inductor library may simply not include transformers let
alone variable ones. I've seen a few RF PDKs and none of
them had a balun. The closest I got, last place I worked,
was a paper from somewhere else that the CAD manager
handed to me and said "good luck".

Did you already try with MOSIS?

dick_freebird said:

Inductors are one thing, common in RF CMOS. Transformers
are another entirely. Does the foundry, whose PDK you're
using, offer baluns under any kind of relationship? At all?

You're complaining about not being given every device you
could want. To me it looks more like industry-normal, the
inductor library may simply not include transformers let
alone variable ones. I've seen a few RF PDKs and none of
them had a balun. The closest I got, last place I worked,
was a paper from somewhere else that the CAD manager
handed to me and said "good luck".

Click to expand...

I found some "white papers" from some foundries and even from KeySight ADS where they talk about the tech files we can use to simulate a full-custom structure in ADS. Please see this link: https://www.keysight.com/upload/cmc_upload/All/RFIC_Interoperability_ADS2016.pdf?&cc=PT&lc=eng
And even when we look into Research papers, we found plenty examples of ADS and even HFSS simulations. This can only be achieved if we possess the right files that describe each metal layer, including the substrate.

Thank you for your time.

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erikl said:

Did you already try with MOSIS?

Click to expand...

Well, I always thought that MOSIS was the USA equivalent of EuroPractice. They can deal with EU groups and faculties? If so, I will give it a try!

Thank you for your time.

What the foundry's engineers can do one time well
enough to write a paper, and what they can see
supporting well enough to offer it as foundry PDK IP
to every customer are two very different things.

Because the design relates intimately to process
construction details, the foundry or someone tight
with them (3rd party RF IP, who of course would
want to be paid) is where you've got to look. It is
usually not even possible to extract construction
details to develop your own decks, because the
"secret sauce" (even if it's just Thousand Island
dressing) must never see daylight.

dshoter13 said:

I always thought that MOSIS was the USA equivalent of EuroPractice. They can deal with EU groups and faculties?

Click to expand...

Yes, I think so!

Ok, thank you. However, the majority of the research papers that I have encountered are from Universities (both EU, USA or even Asia).
Anyway, for what I have saw in the MOSIS website, they offer iPDK. These PDK support iRCX, which allow momentum simulation.

I will try these.

Thank you for your time.

dick_freebird said:

What the foundry's engineers can do one time well
enough to write a paper, and what they can see
supporting well enough to offer it as foundry PDK IP
to every customer are two very different things.

Because the design relates intimately to process
construction details, the foundry or someone tight
with them (3rd party RF IP, who of course would
want to be paid) is where you've got to look. It is
usually not even possible to extract construction
details to develop your own decks, because the
"secret sauce" (even if it's just Thousand Island
dressing) must never see daylight.

Click to expand...

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you very much! I will try to contact them (via my advisor).

erikl said:

Yes, I think so!

Click to expand...