Keysight, WIN Semiconductors Launch Workflow for Faster RF Component Development

Keysight Technologies and WIN Semiconductors have launched a joint monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) design workflow. This is to help gallium nitride (GaN) MMIC design houses achieve first-pass tapeout success and reduce fabrication risk for high-frequency radio-frequency (RF) components. 

The companies announced the workflow, targeting developers building products for 5G base stations, Wi-Fi access points, satellite payloads and defence radar systems.

It combines on-chip multi-domain simulation, 3D layout verification and off-chip MMIC evaluation board design within a single environment. It also automates simulation, optimisation and verification processes before designs are sent to foundries for fabrication, addressing delays and costs associated with failed tapeouts that often require additional manufacturing runs.

The companies said the workflow allows engineers to design and optimise both on-chip and off-chip components. This includes the MMIC, packaging, printed circuit board (PCB) and test connectors. The approach aims to help designers verify performance before fabrication and demonstrate results on physical evaluation boards, a key requirement for customers before committing to purchases.

The workflow integrates WIN Semiconductors’ NP 120P GaN Process Design Kit (PDK) with Keysight’s Advanced Design System (ADS) and RF Circuit Simulation Professional tools. The integration provides designers with access to process models and layout rules while automating design verification steps required for tapeout.

Richard Kuo, Director of Design Service at WIN Semiconductors, said the collaboration delivered “a comprehensive verification solution that streamlined the customer’s design flow and accelerated the time-to-market for advanced RF products with greater confidence and reliability.”

The announcement comes as demand for GaN-based RF devices grows across telecommunications, satellite communications and defence sectors. According to the companies, the global GaN RF device market is projected to reach $2.77 billion by 2031, increasing pressure on MMIC design houses to validate performance and shorten development cycles.

Nilesh Kamdar, General Manager for EDA and Design Engineering Software at Keysight, said the combined offering gives designers “a single path from chip design through evaluation board” and enables them to “prove full system performance before fabrication, giving their customers the confidence to commit.”