Zuken has released the latest version of its high-speed design and verification environment CR-5000 Lightning. Version 12.0 highlights include the introduction of automatic ‘escape routing’ and ‘smart fan-out’ to simplify the routing process, along with support for S-parameter models, easy-to-use parameter sweep and waveform comparison functionality, and improved error resolution capabilities for the latest high-speed boards.
Impedance control is essential in high-speed design; in response Zuken has introduced a new graphical layer stack editor, featuring the ability to intelligently define multi-layer impedance templates for both single ended and differential signals. By applying these templates to groups of signals, the routing tools will automatically calculate the values during the routing process, allowing users to control impedance efficiently in both manual and automatic routing.
CR-5000 Lightning now supports interactive and automatic trombone lengthening, with dynamic push-aside, valuable for meeting matched route length constraints in tight spaces. And in alignment with Zuken’s strategy to unify functionality across the CR-5000 environment, all interactive, intelligent lengthening functionality of CR-5000 Lightning 12.0 is also available in CR-5000 Board Designer, the core layout tool within the CR-5000 design solution.
To reduce routing time within the Dragon Autorouter, The Routing Consultant which identifies potential routing blockers now includes more checks and provides suggested solutions. In the intelligent routing strategy generation, enhancements have been made to boost routing completion and constraint obedience.
To optimize signal integrity, electrical performance needs to be analysed by sweeping various design parameters simultaneously. Parameter sweep enhancements allow users to view and compare sweep result waveforms, making it much easier to make important design decisions.
The introduction of new ease-of-use features relating to Signal Integrity (SI) simulation, Power Integrity (PI) and EMI analysis have extended the usage of such tools within the entire CR-5000 design flow, helping designers to deliver right-first-time. For example, simulation model assignment for SI analysis, and options handling and results management in PI and EMI analysis have been simplified.
New tools have been added to optimize the generation of fan-out and escape routing for FBGA devices. A ‘smart fan-out’ tool has been incorporated that can intelligently adapt fan-out patterns for a device, to avoid obstacles such as decoupling devices. Often escaping from an FPGA with routing to the rest of the design is a very complex task and can take up to one week for a large pin count device. Escape routing generates this pattern concurrently in just minutes, using the minimum number of layers required.
Zuken now supports S-Parameter models of passive components such as filters. Most signal integrity tools for PCB design operate in the time domain, while, by contrast, S-Parameter models describe high-speed signal transmission and reflection at a range of frequencies. Zuken has now married these two techniques using IdEM (provided by IdemWorks s.r.l, Italy) to transform S-Parameter models so they can be simulated in the time domain, providing extended simulation accuracy that helps designers deliver right-first-time.
Further numerical enhancements in the time domain simulation kernel have improved simulation accuracy for AC coupling and closely coupled parallel traces.