Open-Source Chip Design with LibreLane and Skywater130

Open-source tools, compilers, and operating systems have fundamentally changed the software development world. A similar move has started for chip design. Tools for simulation, synthesis, place and route, DRC, and final tapeout are available in open-source. Additionally, the process design kits (PDK) for three fabs (Skywater, Global Foundries 180, and IHP) have been put into open-source, allowing a full open-source design flow. Furthermore, those fabs provide low-cost prototyping services between $ 4000 and $ 15000, allowing a startup to produce a first round of prototypes of their idea on a chip.

As a test case of this service, we have taped out a chip designed by students in the spring semester of 2026. I will also report from those experiences.

Speaker: Martin Schoeberl, DTU  masco@dtu.dk

Organizer: Finn Gustafsson, IDA IT figu@dtu.k