Collaboration on RF and mmWave design flow to accelerate mobile and 5G innovation

Cadence Design Systems, Inc is collaborating with GlobalFoundries(GF) to speed up 5G and mobile design innovation via the delivery of the Cadence RF and mmWave flow for the GF 22FDX platform. As a proof point, this full-flow RF solution was employed to design and tape out a 28GHz 5G mmWave IC on the GF 22FDX platform and develop an integrated antenna as a complete SiP solution. Moreover, the mmWave IC design was simulated with the Cadence AWR Visual System Simulator employing the combined Rohde & Schwarz signal creation and analysis tools within the R&S VSESIM-VSS supporting 5G NR and displayed a high correlation to silicon measurements and lab testing undertaken by the German institute, Fraunhofer IIS/EAS.

The comprehensive RF and mmWave design flow allow customers to optimise the complete mmWave IC and SiP for power efficiency, performance and reliability. The flows incorporate several key features, comprising system-level budget analysis, implementation, mmWave IC design, concurrent SiP co-design with integrated electromagnetic analysis, RF circuit simulation, reliability analysis and physical verification. The solutions support the Cadence Intelligent System Design strategy and enable customers to achieve SoC design excellence.

“By collaborating with Cadence, we’re making it faster and easier for customers to design 5G and mobile applications, leveraging both the Cadence RF and mmWave flows and our 22FDX platform,” said Dr Bami Bastani, SVP and GM, Mobile and Wireless Infrastructure Strategic Business Unit at GF. “Our 22FDX platform delivers the power efficiency and performance levels that customers need for 5G design, and we’re looking forward to seeing mutual customers accelerate mobile innovation.”

“5G mobile designs require advanced technology integrations and semiconductor processes to meet aggressive size, weight and performance targets, and the Cadence flows were developed to support the GF 22FDX platform and improve overall design efficiency,” said Tom Beckley, senior vice president and general manager in the Custom IC and PCB Group at Cadence. “Through our collaboration with GF, we’ve demonstrated success with a 28GHz 5G mmWave IC in a package, which, in turn, provides our customers with confidence that they can achieve their own design goals.”