Process Development Kits (PDKs) are perhaps the most poorly understood sub-section of semiconductors. It’s mostly because of all the secrecy. Today

A Background-Proof Guide on Process Development Kits

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2025-01-24 09:00:02

Process Development Kits (PDKs) are perhaps the most poorly understood sub-section of semiconductors. It’s mostly because of all the secrecy.

Today I want to help all of you understand what is actually in a PDK and why it matters. Lots of practical issues depend on these top-secret documents, statistical models, and library files.

My first public post is a high-level guide on the entire semiconductor lifecycle with a fake chip design walked through from start to finish.

I have written this material with the goal that **anyone** can understand and learn something new. No pre-requisites and no dumbing-down either. If you only understand 20% of this post, that is still a huge win IMO.

Thousands of slides and pages of documentation that provide guidelines on how to place cells, improve yield, mitigate parasitics, and so on.

Logic Foundries and design companies do not make up many versions of the same standard cell for fun. Various performance, area, and power characteristics drive the creation of so many “redundant” cells. (its not redundant)