Multi-project chip activities in Korea-IDEC perspective

This paper describes the current status of multi-project chip (MPC) services in Korea to promote full-custom and semi-custom IC design activities in universities. Although MPC foundry services for IC designs were started in a lesser scale more than 10 years ago, it is only recently that systematic and effective education has developed. The MPC foundry services program called IDEC (IC design education center) was launched with the planned support of the government and three major semiconductor companies in Korea. The paper introduces the activities of IDEC and other MPC foundry services.