- EDA Products for Post Layout Overview
- NxMDP - Mask Data Preparation Tool Suite
- NxFracture - Fracturing Tool for Photomasks
- NxMRC - Mask Rule Checker
- NxStats - Fracturing QoR Analysis Tool
- NxCompare - Geometrical Equivalence Tool
- NxDAT - Defect Analysis Tool
- Nirmaan - Toolkit for Post Layout EDA
- Layout and Mask Data Compression
- Layout and Mask Data Translators
- Utilities for GDSII, OASIS and MEBES
- Test Suite for Computational Geometry Engines
NXCompare : Cross Format Layout/Mask Data Equivalence Checker
NxCompare is a fast and versatile comparison tool that can be used to
compare any two Layout or Mask databases (Layout vs Layout, Layout vs Mask
or Mask vs Mask). NxCompare is a distributed processing application based
on SoftJin’s proven and widely deployed Nirmaan software development platform.
NxCompare also includes high performance Boolean, resizing and other
geometrical operations.
Key Benefits
- Better price and performance compared to
standard DRC tools for comparison of large, crossformat
layout/mask databases
- Supports all major industry
standard Layout and Mask data
standards
- Very fast turnaround time for
large, cross format databases
- Leverages distributed
computing as well as multi-core
infrastructure
- Includes high performance
Boolean and re-sizing functions
- Affordable distributed computing
on low cost Linux machines (32/ 64 bit)
Key Features
- Unlimited data handling capacity
- Can handle equivalent of hundreds of GBs of GDSII data
- No restrictions on design hierarchy – handles a mix of flat and hierarchical designs
- Fast turn-around time using distributed processing on inexpensive compute grids
- Compares multiple GBs per minute of GDSII equivalent data
- Scales nicely for larger size data
- Cross format comparison support for multiple layout and mask data standards
- Layout data formats - GDSII, OASIS
- E-beam formats - MEBES, OASIS.MASK, VSB-11/12 and JEOL
- MIC, Gerber
- Customized EBDW formats
- Bitmap data (image data)
- Advanced set of user control option
- Built-in Boolean functions required for layout equivalence checking of geometrical layers
- User defined tolerance limit to filter out nuisance errors
- De-staircasing function to filter out differences caused due to approximation of all-angle geometries in pre-fracture data
- Scaling, rotation, translation, mirroring and tone reversal
- Full-chip, Window-specific, Cell-specific, Layer-specific equivalence checking
- TCL scripting allows quick customization and integration in to existing design and verification flows
- Supports multiple error database formats for popular Viewers to efficiently navigate and view and analyze the differences

Usage Scenarios
NxCompare could be used very effectively in a variety of use
scenarios including:
- Quick equivalence checking of layout databases in the back-end design flow by allowing layout comparisons at different levels of abstractions
- Full-chip, Window-specific, Cell-specific, Layer-specific comparison
- Data Verification and Analysis in the Mask Data Flow
- Independent verification of fracturing results (in formats for Mask Writer or Mask Inspection) with original layout data (in GDSII/OASIS formats). De-slivering and de-staircasing allow separating the expected differences from unexpected differences
- Comparing EB data after re-fracturing / format conversion
- Overlaying and Comparison of Mask Inspection / SEM image data with original Layout
- Comparison of split data files with merged / original data
- PSM data, Double patterning
- Qualification / regression testing of new post-layout tools and internally developed tools and utilities
- Comparing geometrical databases from different sources
- Databases generated by different tools
- Databases in different data formats
- Databases in different versions of similar data
