Agilent Technologies' Model Extraction and Qualification Software Adopted by Microchip Technology for PDK Creation, Modification, Validation


SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that Microchip Technology Inc., a leading provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, has adopted Agilent EEsof EDA's Model Builder Program and Model Quality Assurance software. Microchip Technology will use the software to create internal fabrication device model libraries or process design kits, modify external foundry libraries, and validate supported devices from internal and external sources.



Microchip Technology's design environment requires validated device models measures of "quality," such as mathematical robustness, compatibility and accuracy. Such performance measurements must be acquired across a diverse set of technologies, multiple foundries and internal fabs, multiple process variations, and multiple simulators.



Agilent EEsof's MBP and MQA software addresses this challenge by enabling Microchip Technology to quickly assess both internal technologies and external foundry libraries for quality and analyze performance in operational regions of interest. MBP is used for easy modification of foundry device models, while MQA automatically validates and documents the results. The software also enables rapid qualification of second-source foundry libraries.



"Process design kits are critical to ensuring our designers get the most out of our semiconductors," said Mac McKeen, technical fellow at Microchip Technology. "With Agilent EEsof's MBP and MQA software, our modeling and technology group is now able to increase the efficiency and effectiveness with which it supports our broad range of semiconductor design activities, and subsequently PDKs."



"We are proud that foundries and integrated device manufacturers worldwide have adopted our device modeling products, which include IC-CAP, WaferPro, MBP and MQA, as the leading solutions for device modeling and measurement," said Brian Chen, device modeling product manager at Agilent EEsof EDA. "We are particularly gratified to see that a large and growing number of fab-lite and fabless design houses, as well as IDMs like Microchip Technology, have chosen these products to create differentiation, increase operation efficiency, reduce time-to-market, and gain competitive advantage. With superior field support and significant R&D investment, we are committed to making these solutions the easy choice for device-modeling and foundry-interface organizations in semiconductor companies."



Learn more about Agilent EEsof's MBP and MQA software at www.agilent.com/find/eesof-mbp and www.agilent.com/find/eesof-mqa.



About Agilent EEsof EDA Software



Agilent EEsof EDA is the leading supplier of electronic design automation software for microwave, RF, high-frequency, high-speed digital, RF system, electronic system level, circuit, 3-D electromagnetic, physical design and device-modeling applications. More information is available at www.agilent.com/find/eesof.



About Agilent Technologies



Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics and communications. The company's 20,600 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had revenues of $6.8 billion in fiscal 2013. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.



On Sept. 19, 2013, Agilent announced plans to separate into two publicly traded companies through a tax-free spinoff of its electronic measurement company. The separation is expected to be completed in early November 2014.




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