An EPDA PDK typically includes two parts: a Virtuoso symbol library and a INTERCONNECT compact model library (CML). The two parts need to be loaded/installed individually. As an example, we take a generic PDK, gopdk, as an example to demonstrate the PDK installation. As shown below, the gopdk package includes:
- gopdk: this folder contains the Virtuoso symbol library,
- goCML.cml: this is the installation package for INTERCONNECT CML.
Load Virtuoso library: gopdk
Launch virtuoso from the user’s working directory. Then, open Library Manager by:
CIW window -> Tools -> Library Manager
Open Library Path Editor in Library Manager by:
Edit -> Library Path
Add Library path by:
Edit -> Add Library
Then, the gopdk library should be shown in the library list.
Install INTERCONNECT CML: goCML.cml
Launch INTERCONNECT application, and then follow the setps in below:
- In INTERCONNECT GUI, select "Design Kits" folder and right click
- Select “Install…”
- Specify the cml file (i.e. goCML.cml in this example) and installation path
- Select “OK”
After successfully installing the CML, the elements will appear in the Design Kits folder.
Link Virtuoso library elements to INTERCONNECT CML models
Each Virtuoso library element should link to a corresponding INTERCONNECT CML model, through Virtuoso CDF setup. With the correct CDF setup, when running INTERCONNECT simulations from Virtuoso, the EPDA integration environment is able to launch INTERCONNECT and find the corresponding compact models for the simulations.
Typically, a ready-to-use PDK has everything set up, so that an end-user of EPDA flow does not need to do any CDF setting. To customize CDF setup, please refer to the EPDA element mapping rules page.
About built-in INTERCONNECTLib library
If EPDA environment has been properly installed, user can find "INTERCONNECTLib" library in their Virtuoso working directory. "INTERCONNECTLib" is a Virtuoso library that contains many optical primitive elements, and each element symbol is linked to a corresponding INTERCONNECT primitive model through Virtuoso CDF setup. User can use INTERCONNECTLib elements for schematic designs and simulations, without the need to install an INTERCONNECT CML library.