E8970 RFIC Dynamic Link to Cadence

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E8970 RFIC Dynamic Link for Cadence provides integration between Advanced Design System (ADS) and Analog Artist. ADS's powerful simulation technology (Frequency Domain Linear Simulation, Harmonic Balance, Agilent Ptolemy, Transient, Convolution and Circuit Envelope) is now readily available to Cadence RFIC Designers without disrupting established design flows. RFIC Dynamic Link allows Cadence users to take advantage of ADS simulation speed and accuracy, without the need to manually maintain multiple copies of the same schematic. For a list of IC manufacturers who provide Cadence Process Design Kits (PDK) that support RF Design Environment (RFDE) and/or the RFIC Dynamic Link for Cadence, click on the following link: RFIC and MMIC Foundry Partners Click on the following links for complete information. Product Information Ordering and Configuration Product Literature Publications User Support

Product Highlights

E8970 RFIC Dynamic Link for Cadence allows a tightly integrated design flow between Agilent ADS and Cadence for developing RFICs. It provides access to ADS system and circuit level simulation and analysis capabilities while maintaining schematic capture and editing capabilties in Cadence.

• Full access to ADS simulation capabilities while maintaining schematic editing in Cadence.
  
• Sub-network netlists developed in UNIX can also be used on PCs.
  
• Gives full access to all simulators: Harmonic Balance, Transient, Convolution, Circuit Envelope, and Ptolemy.
  
• Allows combination of Cadence cells with components from ADS libraries: microstrip, striplines, SMT components, and RF system models.
  
• Provides access to ADS extensive statistical analysis and performance optimization tools.
  
• Provides access to ADS Data Display for data post-processing and visualization.
  
• Available on HP, SUN, and IBM UNIX platforms.
  

ADS users who seek a higher level of integration with the Cadence design flow should consider RF Design Environment. RFDE provides access to Agilent EEsof's leading-edge simulation technology without ever having to leave the Cadence environment.

Product Description

E8970 RFIC Dynamic Link for Cadence provides an integration interface between Advanced Design System (ADS) and Cadence Analog Artist (Cadence) design environments. This feature allows you to take advantage of the advanced simulation capabilities of ADS without introducing translation errors or disrupting your design flow.

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The integration is based on Inter-Process Communication (IPC), providing you with easy access to the powerful RF analysis features of ADS while maintaining the integrity of the transistor-level design information in the Cadence database.

How It Works

The RFIC Dynamic Link automatically generates an ADS symbol for your Cadence schematic. You can then place this symbol on an ADS schematic, along with other ADS components, such as RF board-level components, RF system models, DSP behavioral components, transmission lines, sources and simulation control blocks.

Additional Product Features

Product enhancements in recent releases provide tighter integration with the Cadence design flow, making it even easier to take full advantage of the advanced simulation capabilities of ADS.

Among these enhancements are the following:

• Node Probing allows for cross platform (ADS/Cadence) probing of hierarchical designs.
  
• Device operating point annotation to the Cadence schematic.
  
• Update Cadence cellview in ADS.
  
• Design variable checking: ADS to Cadence.
  
• Hierarchical Bus representation in ADS schematic.
  
• Support for Cadence 4.4.5 and 4.4.6 (in addition to 4.4.3).
  
• Support for Cadence extracted view allows direct simulation of layout parasitics in ADS.
  
• Support for Hierarchy editor: Cadence UI to manage design hierarchy.
  
• Fully hierarchical back-annotation of DC voltages and currents to Cadence schematic.
  
• Support for ADS Tune Mode.
  
• Subnetwork netlists developed on UNIX can be used on PC.
  

CAD Library Development Requirements

The RFIC Dynamic Link requires that you use a process library containing specific ADS netlist and model information.

This kit typically includes:

• Schematic information (symbols)
  
• Netlist information (Component Description Format)
  
• Device models for each supported analog simulator
  
• Physical information (footprints or P-Cells) for layout
  

A design flow based on the RFIC Dynamic Link requires the following modifications to your process library:

• Adding an ADS view to each component in the library and
  
• Defining the corresponding CDF Simulation Information section
  
• Adding device model information in the ADS format
  

The documentation provided with the RFIC Dynamic Link details how to perform these tasks.

In addition, personnel maintaining the process libraries should attend training on Library Development for the RFIC Dynamic Link. For more information, contact your local Agilent EEsof EDA representative.

How To Buy

To request immediate sales assistance - for help choosing the best system; for product configuration and integration details; to request telephone assistance or an on-site demo of the software; or to request a price quotation - click on the following link:

• Agilent EEsof EDA Sales Assistance

Configuration Details

RFIC Dynamic Link is a companion product to ADS and requires a separate codeword.

Platform and Software Release Requirements

RFIC Dynamic Link 2004A
Cadence   Releases 5.0.33 and 5.1.41 Both CDBA and OpenAccess releases are supported.
Operating Systems
HP-UX 11.0, 11i	Sun Solaris 8 Sun Solaris 9	Redhat Linux 7.2, 7.3, 8
NOTE.   Although HP-UX 11i is supported as an operating system, RFDE and RFIC Dynamic Link are not supported on Intel® Itanium®-based workstations.

Click on the following link to see the operating system revisions and the versions of Cadence with which it is possible to use E8970 RFIC Dynamic Link:

• Platform Requirements Matrix
  

System Requirements

• 256 MB RAM
  
• 4 GB disk space
  

Required Advanced Design System (ADS) Licenses

• E8900 Project Design Environment
  
• E8901 Data Display
  
• E8881 Linear Simulator
  
• E8882 Nonlinear Simulator and E8883 Circuit Envelope Simulator are recommended
  

Required Cadence Licenses

• 34500 Composer
  
• 34510 Analog Artist
  
• OASIS Simulator Interface
  

Cadence is a trademark of Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

• Quick-start & Troubleshooting Installation Guide for Dynamic link Release 2003A (PDF, 132 KB). Quick-start guide. 8 pages. 10 June 2004.
  
• RFIC Dynamic Link for Cadence (PDF, 1,260 KB)
  4-page color product overview. March 2000.
  
• SiGe taxes RF IC Design Methods
  Link to: EE Times, 9 October 2000. Technical feature article.
  

Technical Articles

• Andy Howard, Agilent Technologies, An integrated EDA-tools flow improves designers' productivity, EDN: Electronic Design News, 30 May 2002. Current issue: EDN: Electronic Design News. PDF version: PDF File (169 KB).
  
• Andy Howard, Agilent Technologies, RFIC Design Using the Agilent RFIC Dynamic Link for Cadence (PDF, 322 KB). 12-page technical article. 15 April 2002.
  
• Thomas Moerth, austriamicrosystems AG, Design flow, using austriamicrosystems SiGe technology (PDF, 111 KB). 2-page technical paper.
  
• Thomas Moerth, austriamicrosystems AG, Design flow, using austriamicrosystems SiGe technology (PDF, 1.95 MB). 28 slides and speaker's notes.
  

User's Manuals

• Using ADS Dynamic Link - 10-slide presentation, in Chinese and English. 31 August 2006. (PDF, 484 KB)
• RFIC Dynamic Link - User's Guide, ADS 2004A. September 2004.
• Quick-start & Troubleshooting Installation Guide for Dynamic link Release 2003A - Quick-start guide. 8 pages. 10 June 2004. (PDF, 132 KB)

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