DAC 99—Lucent Makes FPGA Blocks Available For SOC ICs

During the Design Automation Conference (DAC), the Microelectronics Group of Lucent Technologies (Allentown, PA) has announced the general availability of embedded programmable gate array cores, called CX-Cores, for system-on-a-chip (SOC) application-specific ICs (ASICs). Developed as part of Lucent's equity investment in Chip Express (Santa Clara, CA), these cores make it possible for ASIC product development teams to benefit from rapid, low-cost iterations within a complete SOC IC.

ASIC designers can use the CX-Core during the development of solutions for wireless applications. For example, Lucent announced its first use of CX-Cores in its Sceptre 3 system platform for Phase 2+ GSM and third-generation (3G) handsets. This programmable SOC customizable platform, which also includes a microcontrollers, a digital signal processor (DSP), flash, and read-only memory (ROM) blocks, features up to 250,000 programmable gates.

Lucent is releasing the CX-Cores, customized via mask programming, through its Cirent fab in Orlando, FL. The options for laser or OneMask services are planned for release in the fall of 1999. All devices share the same layout and base silicon to guarantee identical behavior characteristics and to enable early start-to-volume productions.

CX-Core libraries are now available in Lucent's 0.25 µm CMOS process. These libraries will be distributed in Lucent's ADS 7.0 design kit.