Siemens Digital Industries Software has collaborated with semiconductor foundry United Microelectronics (UMC). Particularly, the companies will work on a new multi-chip 3D integrated circuit (IC) planning, assembly validation, and parasitic extraction (PEX) workflow.

This venture will specifically for UMC’s wafer-on-wafer and chip-on-wafer technologies. UMC plans to soon offer this new flow to its global roster of customers.

Accelerates Time to Market

By stacking silicon die or chiplets on top of each other in a single packaged device, companies can achieve the functionality of multiple devices on the same or smaller chip area. Hence, this not only saves space but also enables companies to achieve greater system performance and functionality at lower power than traditional configurations of laying out multiple chips on a PCB.

Osbert Cheng, vice president of device technology development and design support at UMC, said they are happy to be able to offer customers a robust and proven foundry design kit. At the same time, associate workflow their customer can use to validate their stacked device designs and help correct die alignment and connectivity.

In addition, Cheng said, “This collaboration with Siemens can help to accelerate time-to-market of their integrated product designs.”

Advanced Workflows for Complex Designs

UMC developed its new hybrid-bonding 3D layout vs. schematic (LVS) verification and parasitic extraction workflow using Siemens’ XPEDITION™ Substrate Integrator software for design planning and assembly. In addition, it also utilized Siemens’ Calibre® 3DSTACK software for inter-die connectivity checking, Calibre nmDRC software, Calibre nmLVS software, and Calibre xACT™ software for IC and inter-die extended physical and circuit verification tasks. 

Meanwhile, AJ Incorvaia, senior vice president of Electronic Board Systems at Siemens Digital Industries Software, said Siemens collaboration with UMC has resulted in delivering significant benefits to their mutual customers. “As these customers continue to develop higher complexity designs, UMC and Siemens stand ready to deliver the advanced workflows that customers need to help bring these increasingly sophisticated designs to life.”