IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
1–10 of 14 posts
Re: IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
#2Nice! I wonder whether there will also be public MPW shuttles?
Also, curious whether open tools suitable for HF design are available that could be used with this PDK.
Re: IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
#3This is a very fast BiCMOS process with both MOSFETs and bipolar transistors. Some digital logic can be implemented with MOSFETs but since they are 130 nm it's not very competitive with smaller cutting edge CMOS processes. Bipolar transistors are really the whole point of choosing this process and it's aimed for implementing analog and RF circuits. Bipolar transistors are extremely fast and can be used to make amplifiers operating at >200 GHz. MOSFETs can be used to implement some simple digital blocks for controlling the RF blocks.
I have made several tapeouts with this process and I have very good experiences with it. Compared to other open source PDKs that Google has open sourced previously this one is quite modern and offers very good RF performance.
It doesn't seem quite ready for design yet. Transistor models and stackup are published so schematic level simulation is possible. There is a roadmap chart in the repository (https://github.com/IHP-GmbH/IHP-Open-PDK/blob/main/ihp-sg13g...) and it seems that they are going to offer free MPW runs.
Re: IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
#4This is great! I love seeing new open pdks. It's still a pain to use these for complex analog design, compared to something from tsmc or samsung, but every step is progress in the right direction.
Re: IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
#5This is a very fast BiCMOS process with both MOSFETs and bipolar transistors. Some digital logic can be implemented with MOSFETs but since they are 130 nm it's not very competitive with smaller cutting edge CMOS processes. Bipolar transistors are really the whole point of choosing this process and it's aimed for implementing analog and RF circuits. Bipolar transistors are extremely fast and can be used to make amplif…
Is there any FOSS you can use these PDKs with?
Re: IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
#6This is a very fast BiCMOS process with both MOSFETs and bipolar transistors. Some digital logic can be implemented with MOSFETs but since they are 130 nm it's not very competitive with smaller cutting edge CMOS processes. Bipolar transistors are really the whole point of choosing this process and it's aimed for implementing analog and RF circuits. Bipolar transistors are extremely fast and can be used to make amplif…
Isn't this what's used for military applications like AESA radars? If so how come it's open source?
Re: IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
#7Russia and other rogue states must certainly love this release...
Re: IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
#8This is a very fast BiCMOS process with both MOSFETs and bipolar transistors. Some digital logic can be implemented with MOSFETs but since they are 130 nm it's not very competitive with smaller cutting edge CMOS processes. Bipolar transistors are really the whole point of choosing this process and it's aimed for implementing analog and RF circuits. Bipolar transistors are extremely fast and can be used to make amplif…
Isn't this what's used for military applications like AESA radars? If so how come it's open source?
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Re: IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
#9Russia and other rogue states must certainly love this release...
Why? They don’t have technology for manufacturing anyway.
Re: IHP open source 130 nm BiCMOS PDK with 500 GHz fmax transistors
#10This is a very fast BiCMOS process with both MOSFETs and bipolar transistors. Some digital logic can be implemented with MOSFETs but since they are 130 nm it's not very competitive with smaller cutting edge CMOS processes. Bipolar transistors are really the whole point of choosing this process and it's aimed for implementing analog and RF circuits. Bipolar transistors are extremely fast and can be used to make amplif…
Isn't this what's used for military applications like AESA radars? If so how come it's open source?
What's open sourced here is the design kit. Designed chips need to be sent to IHP to be manufactured.
SiGe isn't also that useful for military radar applications. Compared to SiGe GaN has much greater breakdown voltage which leads to greater output power and better efficiency. It's possible to get 10 to 100 times more output power from GaN chip compared to SiGe. It isn't really possible to make high performance long range radar with just SiGe although it could be used in some parts of it.