Unpacking "shift left" in IC design – why early verification matters

Welcome back to Design with Calibre’s LinkedIn Newsletter! In this month's issue, we’re lucky to have Matthew Hogan , Product Management Director, to talk a little bit about one of the newest and very exciting editions to our portfolio, Insight Analyzer. Why? As IC design continues to evolve, the need for innovative and efficient design verification tools has never been greater, and Insight Analyzer is a cutting-edge solution reshaping the verification process and enabling IC designers and engineers to catch issues earlier than ever.

Why Insight Analyzer matters

Hello and thanks for joining me! Let’s get right to it - I know how frustrating it can be to catch reliability issues late in the design cycle—just when you think you're in the clear, an unexpected problem forces a costly redesign. Sounds familiar to a lot of you, right? ?So let’s talk about how Siemens' Insight Analyzer is changing the game by helping IC circuit designers detect issues much earlier in the process.

Insight Analyzer helps designers identify potential circuit reliability failures early, operating on a schematic netlist. By adopting a shift-left mindset, this tool allows you to boost confidence in achieving first-pass silicon success, save time and resources by addressing issues before they escalate, and enhance quality and reliability through early leakage and high-impedance checks.

One of the biggest challenges in IC design is managing the balance between time-to-market pressures and maintaining rigorous quality standards. Insight Analyzer bridges this gap, allowing engineers to uncover hidden issues and ensure their designs meet stringent reliability benchmarks. By addressing potential failures early, teams can prevent the expensive and time-consuming rework that often accompanies late-stage verification.

Key features: How Insight Analyzer stands out

Unlike traditional tools, Insight Analyzer takes a holistic view of your circuit. It automatically recognizes structures like logic gates, latches, current mirrors, and level shifters. Let’s explore its standout features:

Identifying leakage issues:

• Tackles analog gate leakage by addressing high current drain caused by improper states and floating inputs.
• Detects digital gate leakage, preventing mismatched power management and under-driven inputs that lead to unreliable outcomes.
• Mitigates parasitic leakage, reducing risks from parasitic body diodes and improperly biased bulks, ensuring long-term reliability.
• Addresses parasitic leakage through improperly biased PMOS and NMOS bulks, preventing long-term degradation.

Complementing simulation:

• Bridges gaps left by static ERC tools, uncovering issues that traditional simulation may overlook.
• Uses advanced state-based analysis to provide a comprehensive review of complex designs with multiple power domains and interconnected components.
• Helps designers analyze multiple states and scenarios, reducing reliance on intuition and uncovering high-impedance conditions and power domain mismatches.

Ease of use and rapid adoption:

• Designed with a user-friendly interface for a quick learning curve.
• Case studies highlight its effectiveness in addressing HiZ net issues and leakage, increasing verification coverage, and improving design robustness.
• Bonus content – Presented at Siemens User2User Europe 2024 showcasing STMicroelectronic's journey in detecting High Impedance Nets (HiZ nets) and how they enabled Insight Analyzer on their flow to secure their designs is available here: The hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy of HiZ nets

The benefits of a Shift left mindset

Adopting the shift left mindset in IC design brings a range of advantages. Addressing problems in pre-layout stages avoids costly redesigns and allows teams to focus resources on refinement rather than rework. By integrating reliability verification early, designers improve product quality and ensure final designs meet the highest standards. Insight Analyzer’s unique state-based analysis streamlines verification, while its ease of use boosts team productivity.

The shift left approach aligns with the growing demand for faster time-to-market without compromising on quality. By catching issues early, teams can shorten development cycles while ensuring their designs meet reliability and performance targets. Insight Analyzer makes this possible by providing actionable insights early in the design process.

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

Q: How does Insight Analyzer integrate with existing workflows?

A: Insight Analyzer fits seamlessly into schematic design flows, complementing traditional simulation tools.

Q: Can it handle complex designs with multiple power domains?

A: Absolutely. It’s state-based analysis is specifically designed for intricate IC layouts.

Q: What’s the learning curve for new users?

A: Minimal. Most users become operational within hours. For those wanting formal instruction on best practices there is online training available.

Q: Does it replace simulation tools?

A: No. Insight Analyzer enhances your verification flow by filling gaps before getting to simulation and providing a more comprehensive view of your design.

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Thanks for your time – reach out if you want to discuss this further!

Matthew Hogan

Product Management Director

Calibre Design Solutions

You can find more resources from us about shift left with Insight Analyzer here:

Blog: Transforming pre-layout IC reliability analysis with Siemens Insight Analyzer

Technical Paper: Beyond simulation: Transforming early IC design with Insight Analyzer

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