contents

software
 
Micro Magic Announces MAX-3D 3D Layout Editor

Micro Magic has devepoped MAX-3D, the world's first true 3D-aware layout editor. MAX-3D can combine distinct process wafers, and allows the designer to view, edit and connect the independent wafers into one 3D stack chip.

This design technique – known as "Through-Si Via Wafer Stacking" – is a new dimension for chip designs. It allows distinct wafers to be stacked on each other, and connected internally. This results in chips with denser designs and higher performance.

For example, a processor design in a 32 nm technology could be combined with a 65 nm memory and a 180 nm Analog device – on the same 3D chip. Furthermore, no changes need to be made to the foundry-supplied PDKs to incorporate these technologies in MAX-3D.

MAX-3D is the only commercial layout editor capable of Through-Si Via 3D design. It includes connectivity tracing, DRC checking and many other features found in Micro Magic's production-proven MAX layout editor.

Through-Si Via 3D wafer stack designs are an extreme challenge for design tools. Current large 2D designs can crash many of today's layout editors. A 3D chip which connects several levels of 2D layouts multiplies the complexity of the design. MAX-3D has demonstrated its capacity by displaying and editing a design of 1.2 Trillion devices – in real time. MAX-3D is fully programmable and customizable, and integrates well with other EDA tools.



write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Computing News :: home page