Coventor’s MEMS+ platform established a new standard for MEMS+IC design when it was introduced last year. Offering links to the Cadence Virtuoso environment, it provides a common platform and efficient methodology for MEMS and IC designers. With the latest release of MEMS+, Coventor has added integration with MATLAB Simulink, allowing true system level design and analysis, and a common MEMS model across the entire design process.

Designers can now import a parameterized model created in the MEMS+ design platform directly into MATLAB Simulink. MEMS+ requires neither programming of device physics (such as mechanical equations or capacitance extraction) nor finite element analysis - just the creation of the 3-D design using the tool’s intuitive 3-D graphical interface. MEMS+ allows MEMS engineers to simulate their MEMS design in the familiar MATLAB Simulink environment and hand off automatically generated behavioral models to their counterparts in system architecture and IC design
Other features of the MATLAB Simulink integration in MEMS+:

• Adds MEMS+ to Simulink for automatic parametric model creation
• User defined pins and parameters in MEMS+ symbols
• Fast system simulations
• Accurate multi-physics modeling
• Supports DC, DC Transfer, AC and transient simulations, and modal analysis
• MATLAB scripting interface for model import, manipulation and simulation directly from the MATLAB command line interface.

Extensive MEMS Model Library

MEMS+ includes a comprehensive, proven model library that is ideally suited to designing MEMS devices that rely on electrostatic and piezo-electric effects, such as:

• Motion sensors (accelerometers and gyroscopes)
• Micro mirrors for projection, display and scanning
• Variable capacitors and switches
• RF filters and resonators
• Pressure sensors
• Microphones

What makes MEMS+ unique is that by creating the 3-D geometry by assembling library components and then defining electrical, mechanical, input and output ports in the intuitive MEMS+ Innovator user interface, the MEMS model is ready for simulation. Our MEMS+ integration for Simulink and Cadence are able to automatically and instantaneously convert a given Innovator schematic into a symbol and corresponding model without requiring advanced mathematical modeling skills or finite element analysis.

Enhanced Support for IC simulation in Cadence Virtuoso

The latest release of MEMS+ improves simulation speed in the Cadence Spectre and UltraSim simulators by up to 10x, now supports simulations in the 64-bit versions of those simulators as well as the 32-bit versions.

Since IC engineers commonly use Cadence Virtuoso to design the analog/mixed-signal electronics that accompany a MEMS device, they require fast and accurate models of the MEMS device in the Cadence model library. MEMS+ provides a MEMS model that can be used as a component in the IC schematic to perform MEMS+IC co-simulation. The co-simulation is essential to optimize and verify the IC design, and to predict yield sensitivity to manufacturing variations.

User friendly 3D design entry and modeling

MEMS devices are inherently three-dimensional, which is why it is essential to have an intuitive 3-D user interface that guides the user through the 3-D design process. The MEMS+ Innovator plug-in makes the MEMS design entry process clear and fast.