Reference-tool flows and process-design kits, part one

摘要

Most of the advanced process technologies from wafer foundries include RTFs (reference-tool flows) to aid in tool selection. In addition, PDKs (process-design kits) describe the electrical, yield, and performance aspects of the process. These two pieces of support documentation have been the basis of chip design since the start of the semiconductor industry. Although these files provided adequate information for engineers to complete designs on process geometries as small as 0.25 micron, they alone do not represent all of the issues that lithographic and advanced processing variation introduces.