open-source-silicon.dev

First open source PDK where Google wasn't involved! <https://github.com/IHP-GmbH/IHP-Open-PDK>

Neat, looks like they're even planning a free MPW program

sg13g2_pr.png

printed the cells included in the PDK here!
<https://colab.research.google.com/gist/proppy/f63686b02309e287d4824098c728780e/ihp_pdk_playground.ipynb>

"the open source PDK is not intended to be used for production at this moment."---That's a downer.  What, exactly, is meant by "at this moment"?

<@U016EM8L91B> This is an advanced RF process. I know multiple people who used the closed source version of it. I don’t the PDK is ready for work

They have a timeline hidden in their repo too

open_PDK_gantt.png

Designs with IHP sg13s SiGe HBT BiCMOS : <https://slideplayer.com/slide/11288985/>

Models for IHP SiGe-HBTs 0.13 BiCMOS :
<https://www.iee.et.tu-dresden.de/iee/eb/forsch/AK-Bipo/2011/AKB2011_06_Fischer_HICUML2_Models_for_013u_BiCMOS.pdf>

The big question here is what the price of a shuttle run is going to be.  This process has a _lot_ of masks and a _lot_ of processing steps.  SiGe is not known for being cheap.

7.3k EUR/mm^2 according to <https://www.ihp-microelectronics.com/services/research-and-prototyping-service/mpw-prototyping-service/schedule-price-list>

Ouch.  The Caravel chip is 18.6mm^2, which comes to $145,000 (US).

Good value on the free shuttle then :wink:

<@U01C0T9D0D7> currently 6.2k EUR/mm^2 - respectively 5.1k EUR/mm^2 for educational Institutions - according to <https://europractice-ic.com/schedules-prices-2023/> (option MINI SIC). Please take into account: Ft/Fmax=300/500GHz. (BTW: GF charges comparable MPW prices for their 130nm SiGe BiCMOS technology)

<@U016EM8L91B> I don't expect RiscV microcontroller cores in this technology, but smaller, predominantly analogue RF designs - typically under 3mm^2, perhaps with small state machines for control. (i.e. a ring-oscillator with few hundred GHz, HF-Filters, …)

A little more background knowledge about IHP's SiGe technology: Free download (approx. 110 MB) :
<https://www.riverpublishers.com/research_article_details.php?book_id=482>

<@U042SLVTGDC>:  I only meant to be using the Caravel chip size as a reference for cost, since I have a handle on what that much area is costing us for Sky130 and GF180MCU.