Free Silicon Conference 2024
The F-SIC 2024 took place between 19 - 21.6.2024.
Summary
The conference is about free and open source silicon eda tools covering all parts from rtl to gds2 flow and open source hardware designs (digital + analog).
Community and Organization
OpenROAD project
The US ministry of defence financed the OpenROAD project (June 2018 - April 2022) to develop an open source eda toolchain from rtl to synthesis with 17 million dollars:
https://theopenroadproject.org https://openroad.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
This project was led by Andrew Kahng from the University of California San Diego
OpenROAD initiative
OpenROAD initiative is a non-profit organization - a follow up or pendant for the OpenROAD project. Also led by Andrew Kahng. “A consortium of semiconductor industry and academia partners”. Funded by EDA/Semiconductor companies? They are funding for example Yosys.
Yosys
is a company with 12 listed employees? with free open source eda based design services. The also have closed source paid parts like a vhdl parser. They develop the YoSys Synthesis tool.
EFabless / Tiny Tapeout
Efabless provides mpw services for a number of fabs. Part of the activity is a google sponsored mpw programm TinyTapeout to provide cheap access to chip fabrication technology. Motto: “Design your first chip for $300”. See: https://tinytapeout.com
Skywater 130 Technology
Skywater Technology offers Google sponsored MPW runs and provides a open source "Process Development Kit" including standard library for a 130nm CMOS technology. This works in collaboration with Efabless.