12 December 2008
Cambridge Silicon Radio Adopts IC Mask
Design’s RF Layout Training Program
CSR commissions IC Mask Design to Develop Custom RF IC Layout Training
CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM: Cambridge Silicon Radio (LSE:CSR), the leading
global provider of personal wireless technology, has commissioned IC Mask Design to
customize its RF Physical Design course to specifically target CSR’s technology and design
methodology requirements.
Recognising the critical role that IC layout plays in the performance of their RF designs in
silicon, CSR identified this knowledge base as being key to their ongoing design activity.
Since delivering the course to CSR’s first group of engineers in October 2006, IC Mask
Design has continued to engage with CSR and has currently delivered the content to over
60 engineers across multiple disciplines within the company.
Speaking on the course provided by IC Mask Design, Mr. Paul Egan, Edinburgh Design
Centre Manager at CSR said, “We realised that in order to scale the company and deliver
successful products to the market right first time, we needed to make sure all of our
analogue designers and layout engineers really understood the impact of layout on RF and
analogue circuit performance. This is becoming even more important as we move down the
process geometry curve. The IC Mask Design RF layout course provides a structured
approach to understanding the challenges involved in RF layout. This is coupled with lots of
real world examples of the choices and techniques available to produce predictable,
repeatable RF layout.
“The IC Mask course is now part of our induction program for any new starters that will be
designing layout.” Mr. Egan added. “The training is also offered to package designers as
this enhances CSR’s ability to deliver great solutions, not just great chips. The feedback
I’ve had from our engineers is that is helps to remove the misconception of RF layout being
a ‘Black Art’.
“For CSR the value of the training has been enormous. We