Cadence Introduces Open Source 130nm SkyWater Process PDK for Academia

A PDK for the SkyWater open-source 130 nm process now available in the Cadence VLSI Fundamentals Education Kit

A PDK (Process Design Kit) for the SkyWater open-source 130 nm process is now included in the Cadence VLSI Fundamentals Education Kit. This kit is designed to teach students how theories and concepts can be applied in the design of simple logic circuits and in the physical implementation of a simplified microprocessor.

SkyWater, in collaboration with Cadence, has developed an open-source chip manufacturing program based on the 130 nm CMOS process, known as SKY130. This process has gained popularity among academia and researchers due to its accessibility on GitHub without the need for a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

The availability of the SKY130 process in an open-source format has significant implications for accelerating collaboration in semiconductor chip design. Verification results can be easily and cost-effectively replicated by other designers, and the open-source model allows for amplified idea generation to feed product development in various industries such as IoT, automotive, industrial, medical, and defense applications.

"It's a vast expansion for SkyWater's serviceable available market for SKY130 and speaks to the power of the open-source model," says SkyWater CTO Steve Kosier. "Access for students to the open-source PDK will support curricula in semiconductor degree programs, helping to build the critically needed workforce for reshoring the semiconductor ecosystem."

The Cadence VLSI Fundamentals Education Kit

The Cadence VLSI Fundamentals Education Kit is a CMOS VLSI Design course that aims to enhance academic curriculum. It includes several lecture presentations to teach the fundamental theoretical knowledge of VLSI design. Additionally, the kit contains four labs that explain the design of a mixed-signal IC using Cadence's latest tools, such as Virtuoso Studio, Genus Synthesis Solution, Innovus Implementation System, Xcelium Logic Simulator, Pegasus Verification System, and Spectre Simulation Platform.

The design in the kit is based on a simple Arm-based microprocessor and is now being migrated to the SKY130 PDK. This integration allows students to gain hands-on experience with the open-source process and further develop their skills in semiconductor chip design.