Mentor Graphics and Luceda Photonics Deliver a PDK for imec's Integrated Silicon Photonics Platform

WILSONVILLE, Ore., March 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mentor Graphics® Corporation (NASDAQ: MENT) today announced, in collaboration with Luceda Photonics, the availability of a full flow process design kit (PDK) for imec's integrated Silicon Photonics Platform (iSiPP50G) to promote a 'right-the-first-time' approach to silicon photonics. The result is an exceptionally easy-to-use environment for integrated circuit (IC) design, simulation and layout with reliable, industry-standard physical verification for one of the industry's most advanced silicon photonics platform's available today. 

The PDK supports the Tanner IC design suite along with Tanner Calibre® One for physical verification. Luceda's IPKISS.eda is integrated within Tanner's L-Edit full-custom layout tool providing drag-and-drop photonic components and fine-grained control over every aspect of the design flow. The imec process is suited to devices such as high-performance optical transceivers, optical sensing and read-out ICS and biomolecule detection.

The Tanner IC design suite supports analog, mixed-signal, RF, MEMS and silicon photonic design in one complete, highly integrated, end-to-end flow. Designers capture the schematic, perform analog and mixed-signal simulation, and lay out the physical design within this unified flow.

"Imec's iSiPP50G process technology is a key platform for silicon photonics companies," said Greg Lebsack, general manager Tanner EDA at Mentor Graphics. "Delivering this PDK is significant for the market as it eliminates the manual, error-prone steps to establish a repeatable, efficient design flow. Now companies can get their innovative products to market more quickly and reliably using cost-effective tools and manufacturing." 

IPKISS.eda inside L-Edit gives photonic IC designers full control of their design framework to ensure that what they fabricate matches exactly how they designed it. In addition, it enables the reuse and distribution of the design work in a hierarchical framework that saves time and improves reliability.

"Our customers ask for help automating the mechanics of design so they can use their skills and knowledge to deliver functionality, performance and quality," said Pieter Dumon, CTO, Luceda. "The qualification of this PDK together with integration of IPKISS.eda within the Mentor Tanner design flow delivers just that."

The PDK contains library symbols, PCells, simulation models and a Tanner Calibre One IC physical verification rule deck. The combination of foundry PDK and off-the-shelf tools eliminates the time-consuming process of creating the custom building blocks necessary for the design of a silicon photonics device. 

"The release of the PDK for the Mentor-Tanner & Luceda design flow is an important contribution to the ease of access to iSiPP50G." said Phill Christie, leader of the Business & Technology Strategy Group, Imec.IC-link. "Imec is committed to providing design environment options for its customers." 

Access to the PDK is provided by imec and new users should email epsiphot@imec.be.  Information about iSiPP50G is online.  

For additional product information, please visit the websites:
https://www.mentor.com/tannereda/
http://www.lucedaphotonics.com/
Imec Integrated Silicon Photonics Platform

For more information, please contact:
Laura Parker
Mentor Graphics
503.685.1775
laura_parker@mentor.com

About Mentor Graphics
Mentor Graphics Corporation is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronic, semiconductor and systems companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues in the last fiscal year of approximately $1.28 billion. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. World Wide Web site: http://www.mentor.com/.

About Luceda Photonics 
Luceda Photonics wants photonic IC engineers to enjoy the same first-time-right design experience as electronic IC designers. Luceda Photonics' tools and services are rooted in over 50 years of experience in photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design. The team's expertise in the development of process design kits (PDK) and the design and validation of photonic integrated circuits is used by several research institutes and industrial R&D teams worldwide. The company started as spin-off from imec, the photonics group of UGent ( Ghent University ) and the VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel).
http://www.lucedaphotonics.com/

About imec
Imec is the world-leading research and innovation hub in nano-electronics and digital technologies. The combination of our widely acclaimed leadership in microchip technology and profound software and ICT expertise is what makes us unique. By leveraging our world-class infrastructure and local and global ecosystem of partners across a multitude of industries, we create groundbreaking innovation in application domains such as healthcare, smart cities and mobility, logistics and manufacturing, and energy. 

As a trusted partner for companies, start-ups and universities we bring together close to 3,500 brilliant minds from over 70 nationalities. Imec is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium and also has distributed R&D groups at a number of Flemish universities, in the Netherlands, Taiwan, USA, China, and offices in India and Japan. In 2015, imec's revenue (P&L) totaled 415 million euro and of iMinds which is integrated in imec as of September 21, 201652 million euro. Further information on imec can be found at www.imec-int.com

(Mentor Graphics, Mentor, and Calibre are registered trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.)

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SOURCE Mentor Graphics Corporation