Customiz layout done by design engineer or layout engineer?

[raymond_luo2003]

Dear all,

A simple question but confuse me lot!

Recently our company get great debating on this topic: shall we recruit customer layout engineer or not????

Some design engineers think it is will need lots effort if the layout job done by layout engineer isn’t good enough, then design engineer will spend lots of time to check the GDS, and eventually it probably require few iteration between design engineer and layout engineer. They prefer layout done by their own! Since the design engineer is at best position to know the circuitry, the design engineer will automatically consider the performance in layout stage while customer layout engineer don’t know circuitry and will cause the lots of iterations.

The other engineers said: it would save lots of time since design engineer can focus on design and start new job if we have layout engineers to do the customer layout job. It will reduce overall developing time and quality would be good enough as long as the interface between design team and layout team are clear enough and communication enough! And layout engineer can spend lots of time on LVS/DRC which would consume lots of time!


What’s your opinion?

 

[Teddy]

Re: Customiz layout done by design engineer or layout engin

In general it depends on what you are going to do. If you are going to do mixed signal designs then it is waste if designer time to put together digital circuitry. For sensitive structures it is a good idea that designer does them on his/her own. But to put the chip together and do the top level routing I believe layout engineer wil save time.
For custom layout (analog) only it still make sense in case you get a good one. After 2-3 designs the layout engineer will know what designers want and will do it. And designer will have more time to spend on simulations.
I really think it is a good idea - 1 layout / 4 designers max will work.
At the end it is also about cycle time - if designer does everything it will be done as as serial process while with layout guy the blocks could be done in parallel and then designer can run sims with parasitics.
But if it is decision one more designer or one layout - go designer.

 

[yibinhsieh]

Re: Customiz layout done by design engineer or layout engin

I think IC design house always needs layout expert. Althrough the designers know the circuits in details, but they are not familiar with the layout tool and backend flow. And the layout expert can achieve the minimal layout area.

So I think they are necessary, no doubt.

Yibin.

 

[survivor]

For sensitive ckt, designers should perform the floorplan, power/gnd bus plan, device placement and matching consideration in advance.

Besides, if necessary, designers should modify the schematic partition to fit the layout people's thinking.

If you are lucky to have very experienced layout engineers, then the iteration will be minimized.

 

[kapils1982]

Re: Customiz layout done by design engineer or layout engin

Specialized layout engineers should be hired for doing custom layout .there can alsways be communication between designer and layout person.By this the designer will get more time as custom layout take a lot of time.