US restrictions on semiconductor equipment have focused attention on the physical tools used to make advanced chips, particularly lithography machines. But Chinese manufacturers’ ability to work around some of those barriers has shifted attention to another part of the process: the software used to design and verify chips before they are produced.
Electronic design automation, or EDA, software helps engineers map circuit routes, simulate how a chip will work and find errors before manufacturing. The market is dominated by Synopsys, Cadence Design Systems and Siemens EDA. Losing access to updates from these companies can hinder advanced chip development, even when factories are available.
China’s Empyrean Technology is seeking to strengthen its position in the sector. The company announced that it would acquire a majority stake in Easy-Logic Technology for about $33 million. Founded in Shenzhen in 2021, Easy-Logic develops optimisation algorithms intended to speed up chip development and reduce computing requirements. Close to 100 chip-design firms were already using its tools, according to the source material.
The deal also relates to China’s work on alternative chip architectures. Empyrean presented Argus in May, a verification platform designed for three-dimensional integrated circuits. These architectures stack memory, logic and analogue circuits vertically to increase density, rather than relying solely on the conventional approach of shrinking components. The integration of Easy-Logic’s technology is intended to cut calculations for interconnections in these complex designs from weeks to days.
The move highlights how restrictions are pushing Chinese companies to build up domestic design tools as well as manufacturing capabilities. The software used to plan a chip has become another important constraint in efforts to develop advanced semiconductors.
Sources: Xataka Móvil.