Ansoft Corp. announced that Nexxim®, the company's circuit simulation software for high performance IC design and signal-integrity analysis, has been accepted into the Cadence Design Systems Inc. Connections® Program.


The integration of Nexxim into the Cadence Virtuoso® Analog Design Environment allows designers of complex Digital RF CMOS ICs and GaAs/SiGe RFICs to gain access to Ansoft's new circuit simulation technology, without the costs and risks associated with changing design methodologies.

"UMC delivers advanced SoC solutions that combine mixed-signal circuits, embedded high performance analog and sensitive RF front-end blocks together with complex digital circuitry on the same chip," said Albert Yen, manager of RF and Analog Design for UMC Corp. "Trading accuracy for speed is no longer an option for RFIC designers, hence our support of the integration of Ansoft's Nexxim and HFSS in the Cadence Virtuoso Analog Design Environment."

Nexxim bridges the gap between traditional analog SPICE simulation and RF circuit simulation by providing both frequency- and time-domain solutions from the same circuit (schematic and netlist) using the same device models. For high performance analog/RF/mixed-signal IC design, Nexxim leverages a multitude of algorithmic innovations in harmonic balance and transient analyses to achieve the accuracy and robust convergence needed for sensitive analog blocks.

Engineers developing large and complex analog/RF designs can simulate accurate transistor-level time- and frequency-domain performance directly from within the Cadence Virtuoso Analog Design Environment design framework, leveraging existing design-flow infrastructure, foundry models and circuit-related intellectual property.

"Ansoft is delighted to engage with Cadence through the Connections program to create effective and accurate solutions for our mutual customers," said Tom Flynn, VP of sales at Ansoft.