Why is GDSII the preferred tape-out database format in UMC?
The customer’s database must go through DRC sign-off procedure before taping out for pilot run or production. We reviewed this procedure and found that the cycle time was very inconsistent due to the various formats of the database. To shorten the cycle time and improve the productivity and the efficiency, we would like to ask customers for their cooperation in unifying the format of their tape out database. Currently, three different formats are used for tape-outs. They are GDSII, MEBES, and CFLT. Thus, we do not support tapeouts in CIF or other formats. Please see Table 1 below for the differences in their characteristics.
