A service supporting all stages of ASIC development, from concept through design, layout, prototype-testing and the supply of production tested devices.
Through CML, customers gain access to leading-edge technologies and a design team with extensive expertise specialising in: Analogue, Digital, Mixed-Signal, Memory and RF integrated circuit design.
Technologies available include mature and state-of-the-art processes and geometries, among which are: CMOS, BiPolar, BiCMOS and SiGe.

Feasibilty Studies
Feasibility studies may be necessary when customer requirements dictate that some provisional investigation is carried out.
This can range from relatively simple digital speed checks to more in-depth analysis work sometimes required for precision analogue designs.

Chip Specification
Chip specifications are generated from the customer's requirements and are produced in conjunction with the customer.
This process may also involve a feasibility study followed by recommendations for optimum partitioning and silicon technology.

Design, Layout and Verification
Design, layout and verification is carried-out using the latest Electronic Design Automation systems (EDA) based on Unix and Linux workstations running Cadence software.

Test Programs
Test program generation is carried out for the available in-house test systems. Alternative third-party test systems can be catered for.

Manufacture
The manufacturing process includes mask making, silicon fabrication and the supply of both prototypes and production volumes.

Multi-project Wafers (MPW)
Multi-project Wafer services are offered by some silicon vendors and provide a low-cost route to obtaining prototypes. Using this route defers the the cost of production tooling until the customer is satisfied with the prototypes and wishes to go into volume production.

Evaluation
Evaluation and characterisation of the ASIC device is most commonly carried-out by the customer. However, in some cases, it may be necessary or advantageous to contract CML to help with this.