[Libre-silicon-devel] Competition to LS: Skywater 130nm production-ready PDK gets opensourced

[Éger Ferenc]

Hello Everyone!

I just came along this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23524428

Wrap-up: Google and Skywater partner up to provide an open-source PDK
(incl. primitive library and models, mostly what we do) for an actually
existing technology node.

Compared to LS1U, MFS is 130nm, voltage range is 1,8V core + 3,3-5V IO, HV
MOS and SONOS is also available. What seem to be differentiating factors
are:
- Only the PDK is open, the process steps not. Proprietary single-source
tech. with no geographical diversity
- Commercial mask-based volume-optimized foundry with the usual
pain-in-the-ass for MPW projects (expensive for the general public, takes
too long)
- Made-in-USA with DoD accreditation (can attract US govt customers, but
hmm-hmm... otherwise)

At the end, if we wish to underline the importance and necessity of our
work, we may need to put more emphasis on maskless lithography and a
business model geared towards unique, fast, cheap (i.e. comparable to a
catalog component) single-piece orders.

Regards,
Ferenc
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