ABSTRACT
Design projects are comprised of several phases, specification definition, design, and manufacture. The
design phase spans the flow inputting information from the specification phase and outputting informa-
are integrated into the flow and customized to aid the designer. A process design kit (PDK) is a complete set
of building blocks that are critical for any custom-integrated circuit design. The fundamental elements of a
PDK consist of documentation, models for device and macros, schematic symbols, simulation support,
physical design elements for device and routing options, technology files and physical verification rule
decks for manufacturability and signal integrity. PDK development and support integrated into pure play
foundry have proven an essential edge for foundries and customer-owned tooling (COT) vendors.
A proven design methodology flow can take years to develop and is continuously improving to address
the rapid transitions of technologies to tighter lithography and broader frequencies.
