[paper] anybody can design and build a chip

Krzysztof Herman, Norbert Herfurth, Tim Henkes, Sergei Andreev, Rene Scholz, Markus Müller, Mario Krattenmacher, Harald Pretl, and Wladyslaw Grabinski

On the Versatility of the IHP BiCMOS Open Source and Manufacturable PDK: 

A step towards the future where anybody can design and build a chip

IEEE Solid-State Circuits Magazine, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 30-38, Spring 2024

DOI: 10.1109/MSSC.2024.3372907

Abstract: In this article, we introduce the first European open source process design kit (PDK), namely IHP-Open130-G2. We provide a concise history of the PDK itself and offer a brief comparison with some alternative open source PDKs, such as SKY130 and GF180MCU. The article also includes a process description and details on deliverables, offering insights into available devices, models, supported open source tools, and workflows. As the IHP-Open130-G2 is currently under development, we present key points outlining future activities. This aims to inform and attract users to join the open source silicon community. The concluding section of the article compares measurement results for active devices with compact model results. The article concludes with a cryptographic Internet protocol (IP) core based on IHP-Open130-G2 as an exemplary use case.

FIG: Silicon Proven Application: The final layout of the HEP custom cryptographic IP core.

[REF] “130nm BiCMOS open source PDK, dedicated for analog, mixed signal and RF design.” GitHub. Online: https://github.com/IHP-GmbH/IHP-Open-PDK

[paper] 5-DC-Parameter MOSFET Model

Deni Germano Alves Neto 1,3, Mohamedkhalil Bouchoucha 2,3, Gabriel Maranhão 1, Manuel J. Barragan 3, Márcio Cherem Schneider 1, Andreia Cathelin 2, Sylvain Bourdel 1

and Carlos Galup-Montoro 1

Design-Oriented Single-Piece 5-DC-Parameter MOSFET Model

IEEE Access; vol. 12 (2024)

DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3417316

1 Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, FUSC, Florianópolis (BR)

2 STMicroelectronics, Crolles (F)

3 Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMA, Grenoble (F)

Abstract: This paper presents a novel charge-based MOSFET model, denoted ACM2, including velocity saturation and drain-induced barrier lowering. Employing the proposed model, all the DC characteristics (currents and charges) and the small-signal equations can be expressed as single-piece expressions valid in all inversion (weak, moderate, and strong) regions. When applied to bulk technology, ACM2 has 5 DC parameters, and an extra parameter is included for SOI technologies to account for back gate bias. Straightforward procedures are provided for extracting the short-channel parameters associated with velocity saturation and back gate bias. Experimental results demonstrate that the DC and small-signal characteristics of the ACM2 model match the silicon measurements in bulk and SOI technologies, with typical errors of less than 20 % in the DC currents and 30 % in the transconductances. The validity of the model is further verified with two design examples. Firstly, simulations of a CMOS inverter in a 130 nm bulk technology show similar results using the PSP or ACM2 models. Then, an RF design example is provided. The ACM2 model is employed to design a 2.4GHzlow-noise-amplifier in a 28nm FD-SOI CMOS technology. Obtained results in terms of S11, S21, NF, and IIP3 are consistent with simulations using the complete UTSOI2 model provided in the technology design kit.

 

Technology	130nm		28nm
Transistor	NMOS	PMOS	NMOS	PMOS
W/L (um/um) VTO (mV)	10/0.12 490	10/0.12 -478	1/0.06 389	1/0.06 -404
Is (uA)	11.78	9.39	3.15	0.76
n	1.41	1.46	1.15	1.01
σ	0.053	0.048	0.018	0.029
ς	0.007	0.031	0.039	0.024
δ	-	-	0.079	-0.076

FIG:  Conceptual structure of the ACM2 Model and its 6-DC parameters.

Acknowledgment: The authors would like to thank the STIC-AmSud multi national cooperative scientific program for supporting this research and STMicroelectonics and the Institute for High-Performance Microelectronics (IHP) for the design kits and silicon measurements. This work was supported in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (BR); in part by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, (BR); in part by the TIMA Laboratory, Grenoble (F) and in part by STMicroelectronics, Crolles, France.

Using LEGO as a Tool for Science Communication

Johannes Brantl1,2, Martin Dierolf1,2 and Franz Pfeiffer1,2,3,4

Using LEGO^® as a Tool for Science Communication: 

Design and Construction of a Model of the Munich Compact Light Source

Collection of Abstracts for the ICXS 2024 Workshop

1 Chair of Biomedical Physics, Department of Physics, TU Munich (D)

2 Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering, TU Munich (D)

3 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, TU Munich (D)

4 TUM Institute for Advanced Study, TU Munich (D)

Abstract : LEGO^® bricks are a versatile and engaging tool for science communication and outreach. By using LEGO^® to build miniaturized models of scientific facilities and instruments, researchers can educate the public and fellow investigators about complex scientific concepts in a fun and accessible way. In this work, we describe the construction of two large-scale LEGO^® models of the Munich Compact Light Source (MuCLS), a cutting-edge research facility that produces quasi-monochromatic high-intensity X-rays for various scientific applications.

Fig : Rendering of the Munich Compact Light Source LEGO^® model.