Keysight Boosts AttoTude IC Design Efficiency by Over 50% – EEJournal

Key Takeaways

AttoTude Inc. has reduced design cycles by over 50% using Keysight EDA software.
The company is achieving first-pass silicon success for advanced RF and THz designs.
AI semiconductors are projected to comprise 30% of a $1.3 trillion semiconductor market by 2026.

AttoTude Enhances Design Efficiency with Keysight Technology

Keysight Technologies, Inc. announced that AttoTude Inc. has integrated its EDA software into its complete IC design workflow. This step has enabled AttoTude to decrease its design cycles by more than 50%, achieving first-pass silicon success in complex RF, sub-THz, and THz tape-outs for its innovative guided-wave interconnect platform.

With global semiconductor revenue forecasted to surpass $1.3 trillion by 2026, and AI semiconductors anticipated to account for 30% of that market, design velocity has become a critical competitive advantage. Organizations focusing on AI interconnect technologies must expedite silicon development and reduce costly respins to meet demands for higher bandwidth, efficiency, and scalability.

AttoTude specializes in creating integrated circuits capable of supporting data rates of 200G, 400G, and 800G. As their on-chip interconnects function like waveguides, precise electromagnetic simulation is imperative. Engineers are concurrently developing sub-THz and THz subsystems, making it challenging to achieve first-pass silicon success without a unified, version-controlled design environment. By employing Keysight’s Advanced Design System (ADS), AttoTude has successfully limited design cycles to under six weeks, enabling designs to consistently meet performance specifications on the first silicon attempt.

Keysight’s design data management software plays a crucial role in AttoTude’s strategy by establishing a single source of truth throughout the design process. This strategy provides engineers with traceability and visibility, allowing for comprehensive system-level scenario planning and exploration of design trade-offs before moving to physical silicon. Correlating simulation data with measurement results is vital as frequencies extend into the sub-THz and THz domains, ensuring layout consistency and reliable silicon delivery.

Richard Chan, ASIC Architect and Development Leader at AttoTude, remarked, “Developing an ASICs over Dielectric interconnect platform that spans signaling frequencies from 100 GHz to 3 THz requires an exceptional level of design accuracy and simulation fidelity. Keysight’s EDA software has enabled our engineering team to move faster with greater confidence, helping us accelerate development while consistently achieving first-pass silicon success.”

Nilesh Kamdar, General Manager at Keysight EDA, emphasized that the pace at which teams transition from design to silicon will determine the success of the next generation of AI infrastructure. He noted that AttoTude exemplifies the possibilities that come with this increased speed.

Keysight Technologies serves as a critical partner for technology innovators tackling complex engineering challenges. By connecting market-leading design, testing, and emulation solutions throughout the product lifecycle, Keysight supports engineering teams in accelerating innovation, minimizing risks, and facilitating faster market introduction of new technologies across various sectors, including AI infrastructure, aerospace, and semiconductor industries.

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