Testimonials

"IC Mask Design has been helping us in two aspect of layout design. By providing us highly experienced layout engineers when much needed and the high value training that they’re conducting. IC Mask Design Training has been essential for our Layout team especially the Advanced Analog Layout Techniques. It has given my team a thorough knowledge on the underlying issues we’re facing when designing on leading edge technologies. The Basic / Advanced Analog Layout Techniques are highly recommended for those circuit/layout engineers just starting to do layout and those experienced engineers wanting to refresh and get updated on the issues surrounding layout design."
Rosendo Lugares, IC Layout Manager, Xilinx

"“IC Mask Design prepared a custom 3-day course for our layout team based on their Analog Layout Course (1 day) and their Advanced Analog Layout Course with some additions (2 day). This course proved to hold a vast amount of useful information even for layout engineers with more than 10 years of experience in analog layout. They were very enthusiastic about the way the course was given and about the physical insight they gained. The course has led to useful internal discussions between designers and layouters which resulted in a more optimized way of doing parts of our layouts. I would recommend the course to all layouters but also to designers who would like to get a detailed understanding of the physical implementation of analog circuits. People at IC Mask Design have been very flexible in preparing this custom course and have provided great value for money."
Bram De Muer, CEO ICsense, Belgium

"As a CMOS researcher I feel that a deep understanding of layout problems and techniques helps to improve the circuit during design stage. The Layout Training provided by IC Mask Design was intensive and thorough, focusing on practical issues of modern deep submicron processes. I can only recommend it."
Grzegorz Szczepkowski, Postdoctoral Researcher at Callan Institute, National University of Ireland Maynooth

"For one of our ASIC design projects here at Tyndall National Institute, I have a need for custom designed ESD protection strategies. Being new to both the design and layout of ESD protection devices, I decided to follow the course "Layout for ESD", provided by IC Mask Design. The course provided me with new and important insights especially into the layout of ESD sensitive parts of ASICs. The presented material will allow me to improve our current high-speed designs, whose performance is greatly affected by the used ESD protection devices. I would recommend anyone with similar interest in the layout of ESD cells to attend this course."
Dr. Peter Ossieur, Tyndall National Institute

"We took part in the Layout for ESD course with IC Mask Design to renew and improve our knowledge on the subject. The course content was exactly what we wanted. Some of the topics covered in the course included: reasons for ESD protection, ESD failures , methods to improve ESD protection and full chip ESD strategies. The trainer presented the course very professionally, with a great knowledge of the course content and always able to backup layout recommendations with sound reasoning based on his industrial experience. The course was of great benefit to all Powervation staff and will help us in all layout related ESD issues in the future."
Michael O'Reilly, Powervation

"With our team new to analogue layout, IC Mask Design provided an excellent first course which provided our team with the necessary background theory and applied knowledge allowing a successful first tape out. IC Mask Design's course presenters demonstrated excellent knowledge coupled with hands on approach to exercises to increase knowledge retention. I would recommend this course to engineers who are new to layout and also those with experience and personally look forward to undertaking further courses with this outstanding company in the future."
Kenneth Potter, AWE

"The Advanced Analog Layout Techniques course enhanced my layout skills and improved my daily efficiency. The course provided a good recap for veteran layout artists. Nowadays, in a design environment filled with automation we sometime lose touch with the fundamentals. In that respect the training provided a fresh approach for layout drawing, the three dimensions approach. I would like to commend the course instructor Ciaran. Both his profound layout knowledge AND teaching skills are inspiring."
Eyal Offir, Layout Group Manager, Zoran Israel

"We realized that in order to scale the company and deliver successful products to the market right first time, we needed to make sure all of our analogue designers and layout engineers really understood the impact of layout on RF and analogue circuit performance. This is becoming even more important as we move down the process geometry curve. The IC Mask Design RF layout course provides a structured approach to understanding the challenges involved in RF layout. This is coupled with lots of real world examples of the choices and techniques available to produce predictable, repeatable RF layout.

"The IC Mask course is now part of our induction program for any new starters that will be designing layout. The training is also offered to package designers as this enhances CSR’s ability to deliver great solutions, not just great chips. The feedback I’ve had from our engineers is that is helps to remove the misconception of RF layout being a ‘Black Art’. For CSR the value of the training has been enormous. We have been able to improve our productivity and reduce the amount of RF and analogue layout re-work."
Paul Egan, Director of Physical Design, Cambridge Silicon Radio.

"IC Mask Design's training standard is very high. These guys really know what they are doing. They have many years of experience and it shows in their practical approach. Presentation skills are top-notch and the interaction is constructive. The course content builds from universal process fundamentals and thus is always relevant. I went away from the course inspired."
Hein van Heerden, IC Designer, Azoteq (PTY) Ltd.

"We were undertaking a very complex design on a 65nm technology node. We needed to engage a physical design partner that understood how to overcome the design challenges through a deep knowledge of the toolsets involved. IC Mask Design met all the criteria to give us the confidence that the design could be delivered on target and within the aggressive constraints that we outlined."
Brendan Barry, Director of IC Development, Movidius

"I have had the great opportunity to attend two of IC Mask Design’s courses: Advanced Analog Layout Techniques and RF Layout, in 2006 and 2008. The Advanced Analog Layout Techniques course really reinvigorated me to continue to always push to better understand and use the best layout techniques available to me. This course is a must have if you are looking to take your layout to the next level. The RF Layout course is a fantastic course, a must have for RF layout designers. The instructors for these courses have been of the highest quality, and truly great teachers.
Christian Hill, Senior Layout Designer, ON Semiconductor. [Show/Hide full testimonial]

"I have had the great opportunity to attend two of IC Mask Design’s courses. I first attended an Advanced Analog Layout Techniques course in 2006. This course really reinvigorated me to continue to always push to better understand and use the best layout techniques available to me. This course also helped me to bring all that I had learned, in my time doing layout, together. It also opened my mind to just how much I can affect the design for the good, and for the bad. A layout designer must understand the layers he/she draws in the layout, and what they are trying to match. This course is a must have if you are looking to take your layout to the next level.

"The next course I attended was the RF Layout course in Fall 2008. Just a fantastic course, a must have for RF layout designers. It started out covering some of the things covered on the first day of the Advanced Analog Layout Techniques course. Then it really started to focus on RF layout, and the good, better, and best practices for RF layout. Also there is a great section on isolation techniques. The course moved at the speed of the class. When the class was getting what was presented the course moved right along, and when there was more clarification needed the instructor stopped and spent the time needed for the class to clearly understand the principle.

"I really enjoyed the way the instructor would lead us to the answer and not just give it to us. We went into great detail on the input and output stages of an RF circuit, starting from the antenna in. I have come away with a greater understanding of RF layout, and how to help the layout to better match the design. The instructors for these courses have been of the highest quality, and truly great teachers.

"It is my belief that both of these courses have truly helped me to become a great layout designer. One year after attending the Advanced Analog Layout Techniques course a co-worker and I that had also attended this course were recognized at a company wide technical forum with a plaque in recognition of excellent execution and early transfer of a project which was done correctly at the first attempt. This project passed ESD, latch up, and worked better then anticipated. I believe that this is in part due to the information my co-worker and I received from these courses. I highly recommend IC Mask Design for all of your IC Layout training needs."


"IC Mask Design's training courses have enabled Skyworks Solutions to deliver physical designs of higher quality and reliability than previously experienced. Their training team, with their direct experience, is the key to the entire learning experience. IC Mask Design has provided the additional tools necessary for Skyworks Solutions to be the best solutions provider possible."
Alfred Carl, Senior Engineer Manager, Engineering Services, Skyworks Solutions Inc.

"We had a difficult challenge, designing precision analog circuits in 90nm technology to reside on a baseband processor, in a compressed timescale. IC Mask Design were able to help meet our timescale. They were flexible, and delivered on time within the design constraints imposed. They operated like an extension of our own design team."
Motorola.

"The course content was very comprehensive, abundant and the presentation could not have been better. There was plenty of time for Q & A. Everything was explained as many times as was needed and the course manual was very comprehensive and clear. We would have no hesitation in recommending this course to anyone interested in ASIC Analog Layout."
PEI-CSRC.

"Ceva required a skilled and experienced layout team for a series of complex mixed signal blocks. The challenge was to do this at short notice, on a highly accelerated schedule. IC Mask Design responded superbly, by locating an efficient and experienced team on-site. Over the course of the project, IC Mask Design continued to supply suitable people as needed. Every engineer proved to be flexible, hard working and communicative, integrating seamlessly into the project team. The next time we have a similar need, IC Mask Design will certainly be our first port of call."
Ceva.


"IC Mask Design have two key qualities which distinguish them from other semiconductor physical design houses. The first is their very experienced engineering team which worked extremely fast whilst still producing high quality layout work. The second is their flexibility and commitment. On short notice they were able to assign extra resources at critical times in the project, and the team worked extremely hard to ensure that we taped out on time."
Centillium Communications.

"The feedback from our attendees on the training seminar which you provided has been excellent. In addition to the excellent content, from which it is evident your consultant is extremely knowledgeable in his field, his presentation skills were also top-notch."
Client Name Confidential.

"I would like to thank IC Mask Design for an excellent training course. Having spoken with the other attendees, the content was right on target for our requirements, and has greatly assisted us in understanding the basics of IC layout. Once you have a subject presented by someone who has 'been there and done it', everything takes on a much clearer perspective."
Client Name Confidential.