Nettrace Technology File and Layer Stackup

In order to trace through the various conductor layers (and down into the active layers if you have those options licensed) the client needs to create a technology file -- which contains at a minimum the stackup table.

This can be done either via API calls or can be done by creating a file and loading the technology file. Files are useful since the same technology file can be applied to many layout files if they share the same fab or technology.

Consider the following device cross section. We've assigned some arbitrary GDSII layer numbers for the purposes of the example.

Stackup Block

The format is:

METAL                            keyword METAL indicates start of conductor stackup
# Order Layerno Name    Type     comment has first character in line #
   1      17   POLY       P      poly is considered the first "conductor" layer
   2       8   CONTACT    C      contact is placed between poly and M1
   3      19   M1         M      
   4      20   VIA12      V   
   5      21   M2         M   
   6      22   VIA23      V   
   7      31   M3         M   
   8      35   VIA34      V   
   9      34   M4         M   
ENDMETAL                         keyword ENDMETAL to end the conductor stackup

SYNTHESIZE BLOCK

This optional block is used when one needs to combine GDSII layers with some sort of a Boolean operation. For syntax and usage detailes see: Derived Layers.

SYNTHESIZE
#Derived_Layer_Tag    Operation
0017                  17:20 - 17:30
ENDSYNTHESIZE

DRIVER DETECTION BLOCK

This optional block is needed when the user wants to obtain driver coordinate points.

DRIVER_INFO              keyword that starts the block
METAL 16:0               define the M1 layer (GDSII layer:datatype or just layer)
CONTACT 15:0             define the CONTACT layer 
DIFF 11:0 12:0           define the diffusion layer(s)
ENDDRIVER_INFO           keyword to end the block