Cadence Targets IC Packaging Optimization With Latest Addition to Advanced Packaging Ensemble Expert System.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 23, 1999--

SPECCTRAQuest Interconnect Designer for IC Packaging Merges

Electrical and Physical Design to Enable Package and Silicon

Optimization

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CDN), the world's leading supplier of electronic design products and services, today introduced a tool created specifically for integrated-circuit (IC) packaging engineers concerned with silicon and package optimization.

SPECCTRAQuest(TM) interconnect designer for IC packaging, part of the Cadence(R) Advanced packaging ensemble (AP Ensemble) expert system, merges electrical and physical design into an easy-to-use environment that provides a complete solution for optimizing IC package performance.

The new design environment, which debuts this week at the High Density Interconnect (HDI) Conference in Mesa, Ariz., creates a unique design flow and methodology through custom features targeted for IC package exploration, definition, and implementation. To fully accomplish this, the environment tightly integrates SPECCTRAQuest simulation technology with the Parasitic Parameters 3-D parasitic extraction engine from Ansoft Corporation (a platinum member of the Cadence Alanza(SM) Group Connections(R) Program). Already closely linked with the Cadence Advanced package designer (APD) via a flow jointly developed between Cadence and Pacific Numerix (which became part of Ansoft in April), Parasitic Parameters is now fully integrated with the complete Cadence AP Ensemble tool suite. The result is a unified flow that enables IC package engineers to make critical design decisions much earlier in the design process.

Nicholas Csendes, CEO of Ansoft, said, "This solution is unique to the industry. While most environments provide only for post-layout extraction with little correlation to the actual physical layout, the Cadence/Ansoft flow lets designers make a number of important determinations that can impact both chip I/O design and board design. We are very excited to be part of this offering."

Planning and Analysis Solve Performance Issues

As chip input/output (I/O) density and performance increase, new design and manufacturing techniques are being introduced. Introduction of new packaging technologies alone will not solve packaging design issues because these packages pose performance challenges, such as signal integrity, plane bounce, and electromagnetic interference.

SPECCTRAQuest for IC packaging comprises a complete solution for optimizing package performance through early chip I/O and package trade-offs, making it easier for engineers to build useful mock-up substrates and ICs. Key capabilities include: -0-

--   Solution-sweep analysis lets the user "sweep" various aspects of
     the design, such as I/O driver strengths, interconnect lengths
     and loading conditions, and simulate against these parameter
     ranges. The result enables the engineer to determine what
     combination of parameters is optimized to meet chip-package-board
     specifications.
--   Direct 3D parasitic extraction from the actual design database,
     via the integrated Ansoft technology, allows accurate
     approximations as to what may occur in the manufactured design
     versus 3D parametric solvers that function independent of the
     physical design.
--   Design Wizards guide engineers through the entire process of
     building up design data for the substrate, wire-bonds,
     interconnect and IC to help them get to simulation quickly.
--   Direct database compatibility with the Cadence Advanced Package
     Designer enables data to be read directly and used for analysis
     without requiring any conversion. Changes can be made directly
     within the SPECCTRAQuest tool and then passed back to the
     designer.

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According to Dave DeMaria, vice president of marketing for PCB and packaging products at Cadence, "The new SPECCTRAQuest flow leverages both upstream (chip I/O) and downstream (high-speed board) design processes, allowing changes to be made to parameters that affect the entire chip-package-board flow. This is a tremendous benefit to our customers, who are having to take a more holistic approach to their designs."

Pricing and Availability

SPECCTRAQuest for IC packaging will be available in the third quarter of 1999, on both Windows NT and Unix-based platforms, as part of the Cadence Advanced Packaging Ensemble suite, which is U.S. list priced at $110,000.

About Ansoft

Ansoft Corp. is a leading developer of electronic design automation (EDA) software. Its products are used by engineers in the design of high performance electrical devices and systems, such as cellular phones, satellite communications, circuit boards, motors and anti-lock braking systems (ABS). Ansoft markets its products worldwide through its direct sales force and distributors, and provides comprehensive customer support and training. Ansoft customers include leading electronics, telecommunications, and automotive companies.

About Cadence

Cadence is the largest supplier of electronic design automation products, methodology services, and design services used to accelerate and manage the design of semiconductors, computer systems, networking and telecommunications equipment, consumer electronics, and a variety of other electronics-based products. With more than 4,000 employees and 1998 annual sales of $1.2 billion, Cadence has sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world. The Company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CDN. More information about the company and its products and services may be obtained from the World Wide Web at http://www.cadence.com.

Cadence, the Cadence logo and Connections are registered trademarks, SPECCTRAQuest is a trademark, and Alanza is a service mark of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All others are properties of their holders.