Know before you go: Migrating GDS-based flows to OASIS

As chip designs increase in complexity, GDSII file sizes and layout loading times become increasingly important concerns during IC design verification. Switching to the OASIS file format and utilizing its optimization features can provide IC layout designers with dramatically smaller file sizes and faster loading times, with no loss of data integrity, but only if they understand the requirements and options before they start.

Switching from the GDSII to OASIS format can produce dramatically smaller file sizes with faster loading times during IC design and verification

The OASIS format offers layout designers tangible benefits in terms of both file size and loading time. However, before design teams begin converting their flows to the OASIS format, they must ensure they meet the prerequisites of foundry support, EDA tool support, and third-party IP availability. The Calibre toolsuite offers a number of options to make GDSII to OASIS conversion a simple automated process that can easily be incorporated into existing process flows. Saving both time and resources, with minimal impacts to established flows, enables companies to achieve tapeout more quickly while reducing costs.