With the assistance of EDA supplier Cadence Design Systems, Seoul, South Korea-based Dongbu Electronics has developed an RF process design kit (PDK) that is being made available at no charge to its users. The new PDK streamlines the implementation of RF chips at 130 nm node for applications up to 30 GHz. While most Korean companies currently import RFICs to manufacture wireless products, Dongbu is committed to creating a reliable environment for manufacturing RF CMOS chips within Korea. “We aim to further enhance our country's well-established semiconductor-manufacturing infrastructure,” said Jae Song, executive vice president for Dongbu Electronics. “Providing PDKs for specialty processes such as RF CMOS chips is just one example of how we aim to reach this goal. We are confident that the PDK introduced will enable fabless companies to sharply reduce RF product design costs and time-to-volume production.”

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Song noted that Dongbu has been working with Cadence for more than two years to develop analog functions for mixed-signal CMOS chips. The PDK is now architected to speed the design of analog functions in mixed-signal CMOS, said the maker. “We continue to work effectively with Cadence to expand our PDK portfolio,” he added.

According to iSuppli, the worldwide market for RF components used in cellular/PCS handsets is forecast to exceed $7.4 billion in 2010, up from approximately $6.4 billion in 2005. Currently, North American companies are leading RF semiconductor manufacturing with 54% market share, followed by the European companies with 28% and Asian companies with 17%.

For more information, visit www.dongbuelec.com.