Nangate’s “45nm Open Cell MegaLibrary” refers to its Open Cell Library: a free standard-cell library announced with Si2 on March 4, 2008. Built on North Carolina State University’s generic FreePDK45 kit and characterized using the Predictive Technology Model (PTM), it was intended for research, education, standards work and EDA-flow testing—not established as a production-qualified library.
What is the Nangate 45nm Open Cell Library?
It is a collection of digital standard-cell designs and associated library data intended to support research and experimentation with chip-design tools. The March 4, 2008 announcement said Nangate donated the library to Si2, an industry consortium, to make a 45nm library available to a wider research community. The announcement described the release as an open-source digital cell library. SRC’s announcement gives the release context.
The name “45nm” describes the basis of the kit and models; it should not be read as a claim that the library represents a specific commercial foundry process. NC State’s FreePDK45 project page identifies the kit as a generic process-design kit. The SRC announcement says PTM was used with the kit to characterize the cells.
What did the library contain?
The project README describes the initial library as having 38 cell functions, ranging from buffers to scan flip-flops with set and reset. Multiple drive-strength options brought the total to more than 100 cells. The README says the library was generated using Nangate’s Library Creator and NC State’s 45nm FreePDK base kit, with characterization using PTM from Arizona State University. These figures describe the initial release in the README, not necessarily every later package. Read the project README.
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When was it released, and was there an update?
The dates refer to two different milestones: SRC published the public announcement on March 4, 2008, while NC State records Nangate’s first standard-cell release based on FreePDK45 v1.1 on March 3, 2008. NC State also records a later Nangate library based on FreePDK45 v1.3 in July 2009; that version used a slightly modified kit and added parasitic information. The university page includes a library-loading reference, but download availability can change.
Who was it for, and what was it used for?
The stated audience was research programs and standards-development organizations. The library README also describes it as useful for testing and exploring EDA flows. SRC’s announcement says Si2’s Open Modeling Coalition planned to use it in a reference flow for characterization, modeling and model usage. Together, these uses position the library as a research and tool-flow resource; they do not establish production readiness.
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What does the license allow?
The available text of the Nangate Open Cell Library License, Version 1.0, is dated February 20, 2008. It grants permissions to use, reproduce, display, distribute, execute, transmit and prepare derivative works, subject to conditions. It also says the library is intended for universities, research activities, educational programs and Si2 members, and states: “The Open Cell Library is not intended for commercial use.” Read the reproduced license text.
The license requires notices and the full license statement to accompany copies and derivative works, with a stated exception for machine-executable object code. It also prohibits measuring or benchmarking this library against another library or standard-cell set. This is a summary, not legal advice; check the complete license distributed with the particular package you obtain, since package terms and availability may differ.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsDoes “validated” mean production-qualified?
In the 2008 SRC announcement, Nangate’s VP of Marketing, Jesper Knudsen, is quoted as saying, “The library has been validated by Fenix Design Automation.” That is a statement attributed to Knudsen in the announcement, not independent evidence of present-day production qualification. The cited materials describe research, education and EDA-flow uses; they do not establish production signoff qualification or provide a fair comparative performance result.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should you check before using it?
For a research or teaching project, first confirm that the package and license suit your intended use. Then verify that its views and tool-flow integration match your task; availability of a library does not by itself guarantee the timing, layout or netlist data your specific flow requires.
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- Permitted use: check the license terms for your planned activity, especially commercial use and benchmarking.
- Library contents: confirm the functions, drive strengths and data views available in the exact package.
- Flow compatibility: check whether your EDA tools can load the library in the required formats. For example, SiliconCompiler v0.29.0 documents a predefined FreePDK45/Nangate45 integration, but that does not establish compatibility with every tool or version. See the SiliconCompiler v0.29.0 library reference.
- Project goal: treat it as a resource for experimentation and flow testing, not as a substitute for foundry-qualified data in production signoff.
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