Custom IC Layout Productivity
SkyCadEda delivers layout automation solutions that transform how custom IC teams build and verify physical designs. Our Cadence Virtuoso SKILL scripting, PCell development, and automated layout generators eliminate repetitive manual work, enforce design rule compliance, and dramatically accelerate layout closure schedules.
Engagement focus
Capabilities
Custom SKILL scripts that automatically generate layout from schematic netlists, device arrays, and structured patterns. Parameterized layout generators produce DRC-clean placement in minutes rather than hours of manual drawing.
Parametric cell development for Cadence Virtuoso that captures layout intent in reusable, foundry-aware components. PCells encode design rules, spacing constraints, and geometry variations so designers can instantiate correct-by-construction layout objects.
Automated migration of layout databases across process nodes, technology variants, and design rule sets. Scale geometries, remap layers, and adapt connectivity while preserving layout intent and meeting target foundry requirements.
Scripted batch operations for layout manipulation — cell flattening, layer remapping, text annotation, pin alignment, guard ring insertion, and fill generation. Process hundreds of cells consistently without manual intervention.
Expected outcomes
Custom IC layout is one of the most time-intensive stages of analog and mixed-signal design. Manual polygon editing, repetitive cell instantiation, and iterative DRC fixes consume engineering hours that could be spent on design optimization. SkyCadEda's layout automation services replace manual workflows with robust SKILL scripts, PCells, and batch tools that deliver consistent, foundry-correct layout in a fraction of the time.
Our layout generators take schematic connectivity and design parameters as input and produce DRC-clean layout automatically. For common structures — current mirrors, differential pairs, capacitor arrays, resistor banks, and ESD structures — template-based generators deliver layout in seconds. Each generator encodes foundry design rules, matching constraints, and routing preferences so output is immediately usable in your design flow.
We build complete PCell ecosystems that go beyond basic device parameters. Our PCells include built-in DRC checks, connectivity-aware pin placement, automatic guard ring insertion, and technology-aware variant support. Teams instantiate PCells, adjust parameters, and get layout that is correct by construction — reducing the iteration loop between layout and verification.
Layout automation does not end with geometry generation. We integrate SKILL-based automation with DRC/LVS verification flows, enabling scripts to read Calibre or Pegasus results, identify violations, and apply automated fixes. This closed-loop approach accelerates sign-off by reducing the manual effort required to resolve verification errors.
FAQ
Layout automation uses scripting and parametric tools to generate, manipulate, and verify physical layout in semiconductor design. Instead of manually drawing every polygon, designers use automated generators, PCells, and batch scripts to produce correct layout faster and with fewer errors.
SKILL is the native scripting language for Cadence Virtuoso. It gives designers and CAD engineers direct access to layout databases, design rules, and editor commands. SKILL scripts can automate repetitive tasks like array generation, guard ring placement, and DRC fix-up, reducing hours of manual work to minutes.
PCells (Parametric Cells) are programmable layout objects in Cadence Virtuoso whose geometry is defined by parameters rather than fixed shapes. PCell development creates reusable components — transistors, resistors, capacitors, custom structures — that automatically adapt to parameter changes while respecting foundry design rules.
We automate across the full Cadence Virtuoso suite including Virtuoso Layout Suite (VLS), Virtuoso Studio, and the XL and GXL automation features. Our SKILL scripts work with the layout editor, constraint-driven routing, floorplanning, and Virtuoso integration with verification tools like Calibre and Pegasus.