PyCells for an Open Semiconductor Industry

TL;DR

This paper introduces PyCells, a Python-based framework for creating efficient, open, and portable layout generators in the semiconductor industry, aiming to replace proprietary solutions and enhance compatibility across EDA tools.

Contribution

Development of PyCells, an open-source Python framework for semiconductor layout generators that are compatible with multiple EDA tools supporting OpenAccess.

Findings

PyCells enables cross-platform layout generation.

It offers computational efficiency comparable to proprietary tools.

The framework supports comprehensive layout features.

Abstract

In the modern semiconductor industry, automatic generation of parameterized and recurring layout structures plays an important role and should be present as a feature in Electronic Design Automation (EDA)-tools. Currently these layout generators are developed with a proprietary programming language and can be used with a specific EDA-tool. Therefore, the semiconductor companies find the development of the layout generators that can be used in all state of the art EDA-tools which support OpenAccess database appealing. The goal of this project is to develop computationally efficient layout generators with Python (PyCells), for ams AG technologies, that possess all the features of comprehensive layout generators.