Virtuoso Studio: Design Smarter and Verify Faster with iPegasus

In the fast-evolving world of IC design, ensuring layout correctness and manufacturability is paramount. The Virtuoso Studio and iPegasus suite—comprising Virtuoso DRD, iPegasus DRC, and iPegasus FILL—offers a powerful, integrated approach to design rule checking, dummy fill generation, and in-design verification.

iPegasus empowers engineers to conquer the next generation of design challenges and deliver signoff-quality results faster, smarter, and with greater confidence.

Discover the latest iPegasus features through this series of videos and elevate your design capabilities to new heights!

How to Set Up and Run Virtuoso DRD

Real-time rule checking, right where you design.

Virtuoso DRD brings in-design verification to your fingertips, using technology file constraints for instant feedback. Explore notify, enforce, and post edit modes for interactive, enforceable, and post-edit rule checks—ensuring correct-by-construction layouts with features like Smart Snap and advanced node support.

How to Run iPegasus DRC Without an iPegasus License

DRC freedom—no license, no limits (almost).

Run DRC checks in limited mode using Virtuoso XL/EXL/MXL licenses, verifying smaller layouts without an iPegasus license. Area-based restrictions apply, but you get essential signoff-quality checks and violation analysis directly in the annotation browser or result viewer.

How to Set Up and Run iPegasus DRC in Full Mode?

Full-power DRC—unleash comprehensive verification.

Unlock the full potential of iPegasus DRC with license checkout. Create custom rule snapshots, run checks on any area size, and analyze violations with advanced visualization tools for complete, signoff-grade assurance.

How to Define the Scope for iPegasus DRC Runs?

Targeted checks, maximum efficiency.

Define your DRC run scope—current cell view, visible area, specified region, changed area, or partitioned layouts—and experience precise, targeted checks. iPegasus tracks edits and focuses checks where you need them, optimizing violation tracking and debugging.

How to Run iPegasus DRC for Selected Layers or Rules?

Precision validation, your way.

Filter DRC checks by specific layers or rules. Isolate violations for targeted debugging, use palette mode for visible layers, and leverage layer-independent rule checks for streamlined, focused validation.

How to Set Up and Run iPegasus FILL for Virtuoso Studio?

Fill made effortless—snapshots to signoff.

Create fill snapshots and run iPegasus FILL using the Pegasus signoff engine. Automatically merge fill cells into your design, with per-layer summaries for quick review — all in just a few clicks.

iPegasus FILL – How to Exclude Cells and Merge Fills?

Flexible fills, tailored to your needs.

This quick video is full of handy tips for managing iPegasus FILL —how to exclude specific cells from fill, merge fills from multiple runs, and target fills by area or layer. iPegasus FILL adapts to your design flow, enabling incremental and selective fill operations.

iPegasus FILL – How to Create Symmetrical Fill?

Symmetry, precision, and performance.

Generate mirrored fills along any axis with optional offsets—perfect for sensitive designs. Apply symmetry and offset settings for selected layers, ensuring balanced fills and avoiding DRC violations.

iPegasus FILL – How to Protect Critical Nets with Net Aware Feature?

Protect what matters—smart fill for critical nets.

Net Aware Fill adds custom spacing around critical nets, reducing parasitic effects and improving reliability— All without modifying foundry rules, for robust, signoff-ready designs. This video is a must-watch for anyone dealing with complex analog designs!

Conclusion: Empowering Designers with Integrated Verification

The Virtuoso and iPegasus suite exemplifies the evolution of layout verification and fill automation. By combining real-time feedback, flexible rule checking, and intelligent fill generation, these tools enable designers to:

• Achieve correct-by-construction layouts with immediate violation feedback.
• Run targeted or comprehensive DRC checks, adapting to licensing and design scope.
• Automate dummy fill with advanced options for exclusion, merging, and symmetry.

With iPegasus, you gain access to a suite of powerful, intuitive tools that streamline verification, filling, and signoff for advanced IC designs.

The future of custom IC design is here—are you ready to lead the way?

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By Jentil Tom