Presentation at AVIC (Analog VLSI International Conference) 2016, with title of "Open Source LSI Design & Fabrication Project for Distributed IP Development"

1. Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Open Source
LSI Design & Fabrication Project
for Distributed IP Development
Junichi Akita
Kanazawa University

2. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Contents
Introduction & Background
Motivation
Moore’s Law
Analog IP Circulation
Maker Movement
Open Source LSI Design & Fabrication Project
Distributed IP Development

3. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Motivation
My Research Interest is in:
Image Sensor
Interactive System (as Application of LSI)
My Background is:
Electronics Building (Hobbyist for 35 years)
“My favorite programming language is solder.”
Interested in “What LSI / circuit is used for”,
as well as “How to design LSI / circuit”
I’m “LSI Designer” & “LSI User”

4. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Background: Moore’s Law
More MOSFETs on Single Chip
Continuous Size Reduction
ref: http://www.intel.com/jp/intel/museum/processor/index.htm

5. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
What Did Moore’s Law Achieved?
DEC VAX(1976)
1MIPS
Cray-1 (1978)
100MIPS
MIPS：Million Instruction Per Second
（World’s 1st Super Computer）
“Faster Super Computer” & “So-fast Computer Everywhere”
20000MIPS
10MIPS
100MIPS
20MIPS
20000MIPS
109MFLOPS

6. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Paradigm Shift in “LED Blinking”
No reason to employ MCU for “LED Blinking”
Low Cost, High Functionality
Extended practical application area of computer
“Feature Size Reduction” is NOT the only way
MCU
#Component=1
$1
Oscillator(555)
#Component=4
$1.5
while(1){
a = 1;
sleep(1);
a = 0;
sleep(1);
}
Possible, but non-realistic by PC

7. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
What Did Moore’s Law Caused?
Drastic Increase in LSI Design & Fabrication Cost
Shuttle Fabrication Service 〜$1k
Initial Fabrication Cost (Masks) 〜$1M
Design Tools 〜$1M
NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) : Priceless
Fabrication Facilities 〜$1G
Impossible to pay for small-lot application
Trials in emerging applications (Hardware start-ups)
Hobbyists

8. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Background: Analog IP Circulation
Trials for Analog IP Circulation
Design and Reuse, Balcelona, …
Limited Market
Complicated Procedure for Using
Restriction by NDA
Depends on Fabrication Process
(MOS Parameters, Device Parameters, ...)

9. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Background: Maker Movement
“Fabrication”, from Hobby to Industry
Easy-to-Use of Fabrication Technologies
Electronics, 3D Printing, …
Ecosystem of Suppliers, Designers, and Consumers
Wide Variety, Large Amount of Long-tail Needs
Small Lot Fabrication Enabled
Crowd Funding = Marketing & Funding
STEM / STEAM Education
Actually the user of LSI is spreading!
350 Exhibitors
@Maker Faire Tokyo 2015

10. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Ecosystem in ShenZhen: HuaQiangBei
10
“ShanZhai” Product
Not Fake Copy, Advanced Product
1 mon from Plan to Mass Production
“Infinite” Component Market
“Used Mobile Phone Shop” in HuaQiangBei
Modules
& ComponentsBreakaway
into Components
• Component Supplier
• Manufacturor (PCB, Assembly, Body/Chassis)
• Innovator / Hardware-Startups
• VC &Angel & Acclerator

11. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Easy-to-Use Technologies
Example: PCB
CAD($1k) & Fabrication($1k) & Long TAT (1mon)
 CAD($10) & Fabrication($10) & Short TAT (1w)
Example: MCU
Complier($10k) & Library ($10k) & EvaBoard($10k)
 Compiler & Library(Free) & Arduino ($10)
Low Cost, Easy-to-Use Tools Extends…
Range of Users from Professionals
to Everyone (Armatures to Innovators)
Range of Products from Commercial to Everything

12. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Is “LSI” a Tool for Everyone?
Most people can’t imagine
to “design original LSI”
Too expensive, Too complicated, No Experiences
Most people simply consider to buy LSI
MCU, Sensors, …
Lots Realized
Restrictions in Thinking: Using Exsisting LSI
Everyone can use Kinect, Few can invent
Kinect
Losing Chance of Innovation

13. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
What Required for “LSI as Tool”?
CAD Tool
Too Expensive Commercial Tools
Too Complicated CAD System
Fabrication Service
Too Expensive, Too Long TAT (several months)
Strict NDA (prevents sharing know-hows, user
community)
User Community
Specialists who know not only “How to design”,
but also “What to use” LSIs.

14. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
MakeLSI: - Outline
Know-how Sharing
Freeware CAD
Basic Knowledges
Community
100+ in ML
LSI Specialists & Non-specialists
No Qualification for Contribution
NDA-Free Fabrication
Lambda-rule 〜1[um]
http://ifdl.jp/make_lsi

15. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
MakeLSI: - Tools
Layout Tool: Wgex by Prof. Asada @ U.Tokyo
Circuit Extraction & DRC
Circuit Simulator: LTspice / Spice3
Logic Synthesize & P&R: Alliance
Commonly Used in Project
Sharing Know-hows in usage
and design
Integrating & Sharing IPs

16. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
MakeLSI: - Fabrication
Fabrication Trials with Multi Chip Project
at Kitakyushu’s Facilities
CMOS 2[um], 2Al Technology, NDA-Free
(Preparing) Phenitec Semiconductors’s Shuttle
CMOS 0.6[um], 3Al Technology
NDA-Free Design Rule based on Kitakyushu’s Rule,
shrinking x0.3
(Future) minimalfab by AIST, Japan
0.5in wafer, Mask-less exposure, 1week TAT

17. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
MakeLSI: - IPs
Sharing on GitHub
Standard Logic Cells
Analog IPs (OPA, BGR)
MOS TEGs
OSHW (Open Source Hardware)
NDA-Free Design Rule
= NDA-Free IP

18. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
MakeLSI: - 1st Trial in 2015
8 Contributors
Free fee, Open & Share Contents
11 Circuits
Kilburn Adder
Guitar Effector
1bit CPU
4-16 Decoder
Ring VCO, LC-VCO, BGR
Wide Variety, Passionate Activity
Saw Oscillator
OPA
MOSFET TEGs
Timer“555”

19. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
MakeLSI: - 2nd Trial in 2016
11 Contributors
Free fee, Open & Share Contents
12 Circuits
ALU
Guitar Effector
RingOSC
PSG
Delta-sigma ADC
Wide Variety, Passionate Activity
R-2R DAC
NRZI Codec
GoldCoder
Inverter, FA
Timer“555”

20. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Distributed IP Development
Framework=NDA-Free, Common-Technologies/Tools
Rapid IP Development
 Developed by lots of contributors
 Possible Low Quality (bugs, errors, …)
 Quality can be improved by contributors,
Cf. OSS (Open Source Software; Linux, etc.)
 Quality will be rapidly improved by contributors
 Contributors’ passions for development & improvement
(user community)
 Open framework (source code, license, …)required

21. 2016/10/13 Interface Device Laboratory, Kanazawa University http://ifdl.jp/
Summary
Effect of Moore’s Law
High Performance & Wide Spread of Applications
Technology MUST become a Tool for Everyone
Wide application, Seed of innovation
Open Source LSI Development
Open framework, NDA-Free
Rapid development & improvement in IP