OpenPDK as a Strategic FOSS IC Design Enabler

W. Grabiński (GMC Suisse, Switzerland), K. Herman, S. Andreev, R. Scholz (IHP Microelectronics GmbH, Germany)

OpenPDK Initiative is gaining strong momentum in the semiconductor community, with Europe playing a leading role. The main goal is simple: make integrated-circuit (IC) design easier to access, easier to learn, and easier to manufacture. OpenPDKs and FOSS CAD/EDS tools play a central role in this transformation. They remove the traditional barriers of expensive software, closed documentation, and restrictive licenses. This paper presents a clear and practical overview of how OpenPDKs together with FOSS CAD/EDA workflows create new opportunities for education, research, and industry, using the IHP SG13G2 open ecosystem as a leading example.