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TSMC Qualifies Anchor Semiconductor's Product for Lithography Process Check in Layout-to-Silicon Patterning

Posted on: Wednesday, 28 June 2006, 09:00 CDT

SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Anchor Semiconductor, Inc., an industry leader in semiconductor DFM (Design For Manufacturing) software products, today announced that world-leading semiconductor foundry TSMC has qualified Anchor's NanoScope(TM)-DFP product in TSMC's DFM flow. NanoScope(TM)-DFP is a full-chip lithography process checking tool used in control layout-to-silicon patterning to help achieve the first time silicon success.

Control of layout-to-silicon pattern transfer has become a primary challenge to the semiconductor industry in its continuous pursuit of advanced nanometer technologies.

NanoScope(TM)-DFP has successfully gone through TSMC's rigorous qualification process for accuracy, performance, and usability in reducing semiconductor yield ramp-up time in the design space.

TSMC and Anchor have closely worked together to ensure that the methodology of NanoScope(TM)-DFP matches TSMC's production flow by flagging potential lithographical patterning hot spots due to process variations for designers early in the design process. With its unique pattern-centric architecture, NanoScope(TM)-DFP delivers accurate simulation-based lithography process check with fast runtimes for layouts ranging from library cells up to the largest full-chip designs.

Pattern Library is the key component of Anchor's pattern-centric architecture. Pattern library stores analysis index of unique layout patterns gauged by several DFM scoring metrics such as process sensitivities and process window variations and other important considerations in circuit performance and manufacturing. The Pattern Library score index reveals the quality of given layout designs as a determinative factor of product yield in nanometer IC designs. The Pattern Library score index also provides clear guidelines for DFM-compliant physical design implementation and hot-spot removal at various design stages. The critical information stored in Pattern Library bridges effectively between IC design and manufacturing. It can be carried further onto multiple manufacturing steps for controlling layout-to-silicon patter transfer process.

"NanoScope(TM)-DFP is a DFM tool for bridging IC design and manufacturing. Leading IC companies and semiconductor manufacturers in North America and Asia Pacific Regions have already purchased software licenses of NanoScope(TM)-DFP as their preferred DFM solutions," stated Dr. Joanne Wu, Director of Technical Marketing at Anchor Semiconductor. "The selection of NanoScope(TM)-DFP by TSMC for DFM solution further demonstrates it is a market-leading solution. NanoScope(TM)-DFP will be the industry choice for design verification of layout-to-silicon patterning."

About Anchor Semiconductor

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Anchor Semiconductor, Inc. is the pioneer and technology leader in semiconductor DFM software products for controlling layout-to-silicon pattern transfer to bridge the gap between design and manufacturing. With its breakthrough pattern-centric architecture, fast and accurate layout pattern simulation, flexible and powerful pattern analysis capabilities, Anchor's NanoScope(TM) software product family is uniquely capable of addressing the layout-to-silicon patterning challenges in both design and manufacturing domain.

NOTE: NanoScope-DFP is a trademark of Anchor semiconductor, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Anchor Semiconductor, Inc.

CONTACT: Malinda Law of Anchor Semiconductor Inc., +1-408-7420-8600,ext. 1123, or Malinda.law@anchorsemi.com; or Amy Battrell, amyb@leepr.com, orDebbie McDermott, debbie@leepr.com, both of Lee Public Relations,+1-650-363-0142, for Anchor Semiconductor Inc.

Source: PRNewswire

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