Easy circuit exploration of analog and RF IC designs


Key Benefits 

   •   Enables detailed performance analysis of electrical circuits

   •   Easy-to-use and complete cockpit for circuit exploration with a single
       testbench

   •   Easy design and test parameterization for fast circuit exploration

   •   Extensive corners and Monte Carlo analysis built into the cockpit for
       design verification
  

The Cadence® Virtuoso® ADE Explorer provides a new entry-level cockpit to test a circuit
early in the development cycle. The tool supports schematic-centric and specification-driven
design exploration, as well as basic variation analysis such as corner case and Monte Carlo
statistical analysis.

Virtuoso ADE Explorer provides a design cockpit, a testbench simulation environment, and
an analysis engine and can work in one of two modes:

   •   Schematic-centric mode: This mode integrates seamlessly with the Virtuoso Spectre®
        Circuit Simulator to support real-time tuning of circuit functionality

   •   GUI mode: This mode provides a specification-driven environment that allows you to
        set the pass/fail status of measurements made during a simulation


Circuit exploration and design

Virtuoso ADE Explorer allows the creation of measurements that can be monitored for a single
test configuration. The results are visible in the new datasheet-centric display in the GUI,
making it clear which specifications are passing and which are failing. The schematic mode
allows the tool to display waveform probes at specific points in your project. By simply changing
variables and monitoring the waveform probes, you can drill into your design quickly and with
minimal intrusion.


Statistical variation design

Virtuoso ADE Explorer has built-in corners and Monte Carlo statistical analysis, as well as support
for sensitivity and reliability analysis. This allows you to use these advanced techniques at the
beginning of the design so you can get a complete sense of the circuit status under various
operating conditions or over process corners. 

Virtuoso ADE Explorer shares a common data view with the other tools in the Virtuoso custom
design platform, so designs naturally progress from single tests, to multiple tests, to significant
regression testing, greatly simplifying the testing process.