1. What does these all terms refer to like Development and maintenance of PDKs,
creation of techfiles, symbols, PCells, Call Backs, CDFs, netlisting and the creation of Qualification data.
2.Can any1 name some PDK automation tools
3. can any1 refer some book for PDK or mail me (jbondg@gmail.com)
Please do answer to the query as i have an interview for a PDK team and i am new to PDK domain
A PDK is simply a Product Development Kit provided generally by the Fab whose process you are using for the most popular EDA tools. For example TSMC provides PDKs for Cadence platform.
A PDK consists of device SPICE model files (techfiles), libraries for drawing schematics consisting of the symbols of the devices the PDK offers (i.e. that are available for design in the process). CDF stands for Common Data Format and are a set of properties assigned to various symbols and devices that can be configured. Pcells are special symbols/layouts that can be programmatically generated based on the properties assigned to them.
PDK creation can be an extensive process or just a compilation of the library and devices and layout library in a single place. So it depends on the level of automation you want to include in the PDK.
I don't know if there are PDK automation tools. To know how to create a PDK you would have to refer to the EDA tool manuals that you would be using.
Usually for PDK interviews, one does need to know something about what PDK is but is not essential. What I would say is a must is : Fab, little bit design (product definition to fab), layout and software development knowledge. Rest is usually learnt hands-on.