Stats

  • Replies 1
  • Subscribers 129
  • Views 97
  • Members are here 0

I am encountering an issue where EMX cannot read or display Metal 8 and Metal 9 layers in the layout view. Metal 6 appears correctly.

SA202511121933

I am encountering an issue where EMX cannot read or display Metal 8 and Metal 9 layers in the layout view. Only Metal 6 appears correctly.

Reproduction Steps & Observations:

  • I am attempting to simulate an inductor designed on Metal 8. When generating the EMX view, Metal 8 is missing entirely from the layout (see attached screenshot: With_Metal8.png). 

To isolate the issue, I changed the inductor from Metal 8 to Metal 6. After this change, EMX correctly recognizes and displays Metal 6, and the simulation produces expected results (see attached screenshot: With_Metal6_.png).

I am using following software versions.

  • Tool: EMX (version: 6.2)
  • PDK/Technology: TSMC 65nm
  • Cadence Virtuoso version: IC6.1.8-64b.500.21

This is my first time working with EMX so I have no idea what where I am going wrong.

Parents
  • Andrew Beckett

    It appears that you're using the generic65.proc sample proc file that comes with EMX rather than a specific one for TSMC n65.  You need to ensure that you have this proc file for the metal stack that you're using and that you set up the emxconfig.il file to point at it (and the layer map for the technology you're using - usually in the technology library. It appears that the layer numbers and datatype numbers in the generic65.proc broadly match TSMC layer numbers but not exactly (I see M8/metal8 is different for example). Even so, the process information is not going to be accurate if using the generic65 - it won't be the real layer thicknesses and dielectric thicknesses, etc.

    The usual approach is to get the IRCX file from TSMC (which they use to store all their technology data such as layer thicknesses and dielectric information etc), and then request a parser from Cadence (contact your account team or submit a support case by logging in to http://ask.cadence.com and then using the Case menu to submit a case) - this parser can produce a proc file from the IRCX file.

    You're also using an old version of EMX (that's not likely to be the reason though).

    Regards,

    Andrew

Reply
  • Andrew Beckett

    It appears that you're using the generic65.proc sample proc file that comes with EMX rather than a specific one for TSMC n65.  You need to ensure that you have this proc file for the metal stack that you're using and that you set up the emxconfig.il file to point at it (and the layer map for the technology you're using - usually in the technology library. It appears that the layer numbers and datatype numbers in the generic65.proc broadly match TSMC layer numbers but not exactly (I see M8/metal8 is different for example). Even so, the process information is not going to be accurate if using the generic65 - it won't be the real layer thicknesses and dielectric thicknesses, etc.

    The usual approach is to get the IRCX file from TSMC (which they use to store all their technology data such as layer thicknesses and dielectric information etc), and then request a parser from Cadence (contact your account team or submit a support case by logging in to http://ask.cadence.com and then using the Case menu to submit a case) - this parser can produce a proc file from the IRCX file.

    You're also using an old version of EMX (that's not likely to be the reason though).

    Regards,

    Andrew

Children
No Data

Community Guidelines

The Cadence Design Communities support Cadence users and technologists interacting to exchange ideas, news, technical information, and best practices to solve problems and get the most from Cadence technology. The community is open to everyone, and to provide the most value, we require participants to follow our Community Guidelines that facilitate a quality exchange of ideas and information. By accessing, contributing, using or downloading any materials from the site, you agree to be bound by the full Community Guidelines.