Moscape Announces Integration of GateScope Into LSI Logic's FlexStream Design System for Noise Signoff.

Business/Technology Editors

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 27, 2000

GateScope Integrated into FlexStream Flow to Support LSI Logic's

0.18-micron drawn G12 Technology

Moscape Inc., a Magma company, today announced that LSI Logic Corporation (NYSE:LSI), has integrated Moscape's GateScope(TM) noise-analysis tool into its FlexStream design system. GateScope is being deployed and will be used at all of LSI's worldwide physical design centers to support noise signoff for LSI's .18-micron G12 technology. GateScope rapidly analyzes a design for noise problems and accurately pinpoints the exact locations of noise violations and generates data that can be used to automate the repair of the violations.

Using GateScope, FlexStream is able to drastically reduce noise in large cell-based ICs. Gatescope has been adopted as an integral part of the LSI's FlexStream design flow to counter increasingly complex cross-coupling effects occurring at 0.18-microns and below. "LSI Logic has a long history of providing forward-looking solutions for its customers," said Thomas Daniel, vice president of ASIC Technology at LSI Logic. "A key goal is to ensure first-pass silicon success. We are confident that Moscape's technology and FlexStream provide a solution that effectively addresses noise caused by coupling effects in deep submicron silicon. The LSI Logic Integrates Moscape Gatescope into Flexstream Design System page 3 integration of Gatescope into FlexStream provides a comprehensive capability to reveal and repair cross-coupling noise impacting both function and timing of the chip."

LSI's G12 process technology is producing excellent results for the company's large ASIC customers like Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq:SUNW). "Noise and delay due to cross-capacitance emerged as major functional and timing issues for us in 0.18-micron design," said Nancy Nettleton, ASIC silicon risk manager for Sun. "We were looking for a timing and noise sign-off flow that would effectively deal with the delay and signal integrity impacts of cross-capacitance. LSI Logic's proven silicon expertise combined with Moscape's noise and delay analysis tool (GateScope) were major factors in achieving first-pass silicon success on a very complex 0.18-micron part."

"We are extremely delighted to have LSI Logic take the lead in identifying critical issues such as noise, that are becoming increasingly problematic with advances in silicon technology," said Dr. Rajit Chandra, Moscape's senior vice president of technology. "Seeing GateScope prove itself in critical, real-world applications is a tremendous validation for our engineering vision."

About GateScope

In deep-submicron IC designs, the close proximity of narrow pitched metal wires on multiple layers can cause the cross-coupling of electrical signals between wires or through substrate materials. This cross-coupling can result in either functional failure when noise exceeds operating margins or lack of timing closure when noise impacts delay. Traditional methods like logic simulation and static timing analysis fail to isolate these effects. Because of the subtlety of these effects, a robust and precise sign-off tool for noise is a requirement for designs at .18-micron and below. GateScope was designed exactly for this purpose.

GateScope (http://www.moscape.com/whatsnew/5-1-00.html) is based on Moscape's "assertion-based" technology. It enables cell-based IC designers to perform noise analysis to ensure electrical integrity of their designs. Designers can analyze both the impact of noise on functionality, and noise impact on delay, which leads to timing violations, thus hampering first-pass silicon success. Using a patented context-based analysis, GateScope performs methodical elimination of false errors, so designers can focus only on the right noise problems. Additionally, an In-Place Optimization feature for automatic error correction generates ECO netlists for incremental place & route that results in a robust and reliable IC.

About Moscape

Moscape, a Magma company, is a leading provider of assertion-based design integrity solutions for deep submicron design. Moscape's products address both electrical integrity and noise analysis for both transistor-level and gate-level design. Magma Design Automation, Inc. provides advanced design implementation solutions for high-performance integrated circuits. Together Magma and Moscape offer designers a comprehensive and highly reliable RTL-to-Silicon implementation and verification solution.

Moscape is a member of the Cadence Connections (NYSE:CDN) and Mentor Graphics' OpenDoor (Nasdaq:MENT) partnership programs. Customers include LSI Logic, AMD, Sun Microsystems, ATI, Infineon Technologies, and Philips. For more information: www.moscape.com.

About LSI Logic Corporation

LSI Logic Corporation is a leading supplier of communications chips for broadband, data networking, wireless and set-top box applications. In addition, the company provides chips and boards for network computing and supplies storage network solutions for the enterprise. LSI Logic is headquartered at 1551 McCarthy Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035, 408-433-8000, http://www.lsilogic.com.