In the fiercely competitive modern IC industry, products are constantly evolving, forcing IC design companies to continuously innovate and maintain their market edge. To meet market demands, these companies often enter unfamiliar application and technology fields, which is a high-risk endeavor. Timely understanding of the cost and technical advantages of competing chips has become an essential task.
Reverse engineering of chips refers to the process of analyzing and extracting internal circuit structures to gain insights into chip technology principles, design concepts, manufacturing processes, and structural mechanisms. This knowledge can be used to validate existing designs, analyze technical aspects, or support the development of new chips.
The significance of reverse engineering lies in its ability to help companies understand competitor products quickly and efficiently. It allows them to grasp the technical details of similar chips, which is crucial for staying competitive. However, this process involves complex steps, from chip disassembly to layout extraction and circuit analysis.
Currently, foreign integrated circuit (IC) design is highly advanced, with technologies reaching 10nm, while domestic capabilities are still developing, currently at 28nm. There is limited information available online about the detailed IC design process. Most resources only provide a general overview of design, manufacturing, testing, and packaging, without going into specific details. Some data is scattered, with unclear explanations of how each tool is used in different stages of the process.
Chip forward design and reverse design differ in their objectives. Major global design companies typically focus on forward design, using reverse engineering mainly to detect potential IP infringements. However, reverse engineering has evolved into a method used by smaller companies to accelerate and reduce the cost of chip development. In China, more companies are gradually shifting toward forward design, reducing reliance on reverse engineering. Nevertheless, many early-stage companies still rely on it.
"Good tools make good work." As integrated circuits continue to evolve, both forward and reverse design increasingly depend on specialized tools. Before discussing the design process, it's important to understand the main software and auxiliary tools used in the field.
First, the primary design tools include EDA vendors like Cadence, Synopsys, and Mentor. These companies offer comprehensive solutions covering all aspects of the chip design flow. For example, Cadence provides IC 5141, NC Verilog, and Spectre, while Synopsys offers Design Compiler, Prime Time, and Hspice. Mentor’s Calibre and Modelsim are also widely used.
These tools are primarily designed for Linux-based systems, such as Red Hat. While some have Windows versions, learning Unix/Linux is essential for effective use. Additional software like Quartus II, ISE, and Keil are also commonly used for FPGA, microcontroller, and ARM chip development.
For reverse design, tools like NetEditorLite and ChipAnalyzer are critical. MATLAB is useful for algorithm prototyping, especially in communication applications. PCB layout tools like Altium Designer, Orcad, and Allegro are also essential. LabVIEW and digital source meters are used for semi-automated testing of analog chips.
The reverse design process involves several key steps: initial planning, process selection, layout extraction, circuit organization, simulation and modification, layout drawing, test specification development, CP test, COB test, reliability testing, product development, and final packaging.
Disassembling a chip typically involves soaking it in concentrated sulfuric acid, followed by nitric acid treatment to remove protective layers. Microscopic imaging is then used to capture detailed layer-by-layer images of the chip’s structure.
After image acquisition, circuit analysis begins, using software to extract and organize the layout into a schematic. Parameters like MOSFET widths and lengths are input, and simulations are run to verify functionality. Adjustments are made based on the new process, and the final design is exported for manufacturing.
Testing is a critical phase, involving CP tests, COB tests, and reliability assessments. Each stage requires careful planning and coordination with test facilities.
Overall, reverse engineering is a complex but valuable process that helps companies understand and improve upon existing designs. It plays a vital role in the development of new chips, especially in environments where forward design is not yet fully established.
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