MQA

Model Quality Assurance

Challenge:

  • SPICE model validation is a critical step in the design flow and difficult to conduct automatically
  • Model validation encompasses more than overlaying the measurement results to model's simulation results.Foundry and design teams require improved communication
  • Model validation procedures and documentation must be automatic and customizable

Solution:

MQA (Model Quality Assurance) provides the complete solution and framework to fabless design companies, IDMs, and foundries for SPICE model library validation, comparison, and documentation. MQA provides semiconductor technology alliances and industry SPICE model QA standard and allows an open communication environment. MQA performs Model QA, comparison, and documentation automatically and ensures design success using advance process technologies.

Key Features:
  • Fast results and turn-key operations
  • Integrate a comprehensive set of rules to ensure accurate SPICE model
  • Rules and check functions are flexible and fully customizable
  • Quick measurement QA, model comparison and corner model QA
  • Powerful plotting functions and utilities
  • Open interface provides user a lot of flexibility
  • Report generation
  • Easy sharing of model information
  • Powerful equation viewer
  • Model tweaking function
  • MQA viewer in Browser

Benefits:

Modeling engineers:

  • Validate and ensure high quality models automatically
  • Turnkey solution for SPICE model quality assurance, fully customizable
  • Achieve 100x productivity improvement for SPICE model QA process
  • Implement designer's specially requested model check for various designs
  • One time setup assures process technology portability
  • Accepts custom validation and check rules
  • Debug model issues using equation viewer
  • Build better models using tweaking functions

Foundry interface engineers:

  • Validate foundry models, generate detailed model report and QA results
  • Detect model issues easily using equation viewer
  • Compare differences between model versions, SPICE simulators, and foundry technologies
  • View technology trend and provide improved communication between model provider and end user

Circuit designers:

  • Compare differences between model versions, SPICE simulators, and foundry technologies, and various foundries technologies using benchmark circuits
  • Identify potential issues of a generic foundry model for a designer?s specific circuit application
  • Establish model fitting errors in specific operating regions
  • Quickly assess the impact of different process technologies on circuit performance
  • Debug circuit simulation results
  • Provide feedback to modeling engineers, foundry interface engineers and foundries
  • View results and executive summary using MQA viewer
  • Explore advanced technology trend to achieve optimum circuit design

MQA Viewer in Browser

Listen to what our customers say about MQA

"We use it as a QA tool to evaluate models from our foundries and use the results as one of the criteria for accepting and releasing new models to our design team. MQA tool provides us a convenient way to check changes between new model and previous versions, and evaluate all critical model parameters for BSIM based device models as well as device DC and certain RF performances. The user interfaces are very user friendly. As a first time user, I was able to run it without spending too much time. Accelicon MQA support team did a great job in supporting my requests, and fixing bugs and problems in a timely manner. In general, we had a good experience with the tool and support." --Modeling Engineer

"MQA has tremendously improved the model release cycle time while enhancing model quality. Whether using it on foundry supplied or internally generated models, MQA has helped our customers find and solve modeling issues in a timely manner. It's flexibility with different simulators and model formats plus the ability to do customized tests makes it a must for any design house." - Foundry Interface Engineering Manager.

Supported model format and platforms

  • Global model, binning model and macro (sub-circuit) model
  • MOSFET (BSIM3v3, BSIM4, and BSIMSOI), BJT (GP) and passive devices (R/L/C)
  • Support UNIX/HP/Linux/Windows OS
  • Supported simulator include HSPICE, Spectre, Eldo and Customer internal SPICE