Chapter 3: Hierarchy
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3-9: Libraries
3-9-4: Standard Cell Libraries |
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Electric comes with few useful libraries for doing design
(see Section 3-9-1).
However, the system is able to make use of Artisan libraries.
These libraries are free, provided that you sign an Artisan license.
Once you are licensed, you will have standard cell libraries, pad libraries, memory libraries, and more.
Artisan libraries are not distributed in Electric format.
Instead, they come in a variety of formats that can be read into Electric.
The GDS files contain the necessary geometry, and the LEF files contain the connectivity.
By combining them, Electric creates a standard cell library that can be placed-and-routed and can be fabricated.
Note that the data is not node-extracted, so not all of Electric's capabilities can be used with this data.
To create an Artisan library, follow these steps:
- Select the Artisan data that you want, and extract the GDS and LEF files for it.
The GDS files will have the extension ".gds2", which is not what Electric expects
(Electric expects them to end with ".gds"), so you may want to rename them.
- Read the LEF file into Electric with the LEF (Library Exchange Format)...
command (in menu File / Import).
Keep in mind that the LEF data may come in multiple versions for different numbers of metal layers.
- Read the GDS data into Electric with the GDS II (Stream)...
command (in menu File / Import).
Note that the proper GDS layers must be established first
(with the GDS Preferences, see Section 7-3-3).
There will now be two libraries in memory: one with the GDS data and one with the LEF data.
- Merge the port information from the LEF library into the GDS library.
It is important that the GDS library be the "current library"
(use the Change Current Library... command in menu File if it is not).
To merge the LEF port information, use the Add Exports from Library... command
(of menu Cell / Merge Libraries).
You will be prompted for another library, and should select the one with the LEF data.
- At this point, the GDS library now has standard cells in it, including the export information
that was in the LEF library.
Before saving it to disk, you should probably use the Cell Properties...
command (of menu Cells, see Section 3-7-3)
and set all of the cells to be "Standard cell in a cell library".
