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EE603 – CMOS INTEGRATED CIRCUIT
DESIGN
Faizah Amir
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
At the end of this session, you should be able to:
1. explain the IC design methodology.
2. explain full custom design methodology.
3. explain semi-custom design methodology.
4. explain Programmable Logic Devices (PLD).
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
DESIGN METHODOLOGY TREE DIAGRAM
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
STANDARD IC
Standard IC :
• Integrated circuits designed and fabricated for
general purpose use.
• Standard IC is available in the market at a very
low cost.
• Examples of standard ICs:
74 - SERIES TTL, 4000 - SERIES CMOS, OP-AMP, TIMER,
INSTRUMENTATION AMPLIFIER, MEMORY, MICROCONTROLLER,
etc.
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
EXAMPLES OF STANDARD IC
74-series TTL
4000 series CMOS
Op-Amp Timer
Memory
Microcontroller
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
EXAMPLES OF STANDARD IC
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
ASICs
• Progress in the fabrication of IC's has enabled
the designer to create fast and powerful circuits
in smaller and smaller devices.
• This also means that we can pack a lot more of
functionality into the same area.
• The biggest application of this ability is found in
the design of ASICs.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
ASICs
ASICs stands for :
Application Specific Integrated Circuits
• ASICs are IC's that are created for specific
purposes - each device is created to do a
particular job.
• ASICs are produced for only one or a few
customers or applications.
• ASICs are devices made for a specific
application such as a mobile phone.
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EXAMPLES OF ASICs
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
EXAMPLES OF ASICs
GRAPHIC MEDIA
ACCELERATOR
SMART CARD CHIPS
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
ASICs Advantages
ASICs
COMPARISON BETWEEN ASICs AND STANDARD IC
ASICs STANDARD IC
1. Chip is designed and
manufactured
specifically to meet a
particular function.
2. Each manufacturer
produces a different
chip design.
1. Integrated circuits can
be used by any party or
user.
2. Most manufacturers
produce chips with
similar function.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
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ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF ASICs
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Ability to perform a function that
cannot be done using standard
IC.
Improve the performance of a
circuit.
Reduce the volume, weight and
power requirement of a circuit.
Increase the reliability of a given
system by integrating a large
number of functions on a single
chip / a small number of chips.
High design security features.
(Piracy prevention)
High design and processing
cost.
Complex chip fabrication
equipment is required.
Advanced computer software
is required in designing the
layout.
Not economical if market
demand is low.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
FULL CUSTOM DESIGN
All the circuits and mask layouts are
completely designed for the requirements of
a particular IC.
A microprocessor is an example of a full-
custom design IC—designers spend many
hours squeezing the most out of every last
square micron of microprocessor chip space
by hand.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
FULL CUSTOM DESIGN
It allows designers to include analog
circuits, optimized memory cells.
Full-custom ICs are the most expensive to
manufacture and to design and only
economic at very high volumes
(millions/year).
The manufacturing lead time (the time it
takes just to make an IC—not including
design time) is typically eight to ten weeks
for a full-custom IC.
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ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF FULL CUSTOM DESIGN
METHOD
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
Advantages Disadvantages
1. High component density
per chip.
2. Chip is able to operate
at high frequency.
3. Flexible design.
4. Small chip size.
1. High design and
manufacturing cost.
2. Design is exposed to
errors.
3. Time-consuming design.
4. Advanced computer
software is required in
design process.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM DESIGN
To make ASICs economic at lower volumes,
the semi-custom concept was introduced
where many applications share the same
basic configuration of logic cells.
It is only the final interconnect stage that is
different to give the different chips.
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM DESIGN
The mask layers are customized to fulfill the
requirements of a particular IC.
Often used for speedy design with less effort
compared to full custom design.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM DESIGN
There are 3 types of semi custom
design:-
1. Gate array
2. Standard Cell
3. Programmable Logic Device (PLD)
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
Mask set for full custom & semi custom
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC
GATE ARRAYGATE ARRAYGATE ARRAYGATE ARRAY
1. Gate arrays are integrated circuits containing large
numbers of digital gates or transistor cells, which
can be interconnected in different ways to
implement various logic functions.
2. Gate array consists of transistors, usually arranged
in two pairs of PMOS and NMOS.
3. Wafers containing these gate arrays have been
processed up to all steps except the metallization
layers.
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4. Using computer-aided-design tools, only the
metallization layer patterns are required to be
generated from the circuit specification, and the
fabrication time can be very short.
5. Gate arrays can have several metallization layers
to facilitate interconnection.
6. ASIC vendors offer a selection of gate array cells,
with a different total numbers of transistors on each
cell, for example, gate arrays with 50k-, 75k-, and
100k-gates.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC – gate array
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC
GATE ARRAY FLOOR PLAN
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC – gate array
Gate array
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC – gate array
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC – gate array
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC – gate array
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ADVANTAGES & DIS ADVANTAGES OFADVANTAGES & DIS ADVANTAGES OFADVANTAGES & DIS ADVANTAGES OFADVANTAGES & DIS ADVANTAGES OF
GATE ARRAYGATE ARRAYGATE ARRAYGATE ARRAY
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Cheaper process
Speedy design
Low power dissipation IC
Advanced CAD software
is required in design.
Not all of the gates
offered by the vendor are
being used in the design.
Optimum circuit
performance cannot be
achieved.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
GATE ARRAY
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC
STANDARD CELLSTANDARD CELLSTANDARD CELLSTANDARD CELL
1. Standard cell design involves the use of pre-
designed standard cell @ library cell that has been
and stored in database.
2. Standard cell @ library cell consists of simple
circuit such as inverter or logic gates (AND, OR,
XOR, XNOR, flip-flop), and complex circuit such as
register, adder, ROM and RAM.
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IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC
STANDARD CELLSTANDARD CELLSTANDARD CELLSTANDARD CELL
3. Design is carried out by simply using the pre-
designed cells from the library and then connect
the cells so that certain functions can be
implemented.
4. To facilitate placement and routing, the standard
cells are designed to have equal height but
variable widths, so that the final IC layout will
have a regular pattern with rows of cells
and interconnect routing running between the
rows.
STANDARD CELL FLOOR PLANSTANDARD CELL FLOOR PLANSTANDARD CELL FLOOR PLANSTANDARD CELL FLOOR PLAN
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC
I/O
Pads
LOGIC
BLOCK
BLOCK
Standard Cell
Routing
Standard Cell
Routing
Standard Cell
Routing
Standard Cell
Routing
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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGESADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF STANDARD CELLOF STANDARD CELLOF STANDARD CELLOF STANDARD CELL
ADVANTAGEADVANTAGEADVANTAGEADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGEDISADVANTAGEDISADVANTAGEDISADVANTAGE
THE PERCENTAGE OF USING ALL
GATES ARE VERY HIGH.
PRODUCE HIGH PERFORMANCE
CHIP.
THE OPTIMUM CHIP SIZE CAN BE
ACHIEVED.
THE CHIP CAN BE GUARANTEED
TO FUNCTION WELL FOR THE
FIRST TIME IT IS DESIGNED .
the standard cells MUST BE
designed to have equal height, so
that the final IC layout will have a
regular pattern .
HIGH DESIGN COST.
design cannot be done if the
required cell is not available in
the library.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
SEMI CUSTOM IC
PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICEPROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICEPROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICEPROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE
(PLD)(PLD)(PLD)(PLD)
Programmable Logic Device (PLD) is an array
of logic gates that can be programmed by the
user which contains functions of a small
number of logic circuits in a single chip.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
DEFINITION
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PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE
(PLD)
PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE
(PLD)
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLD IC
1. PLD does not require a common mask layout in design.
2. The design time is shorter.
3. It consists of a large block of internal connections that can
be a programmed.
4. Programming can be done at different stages:
i) at the earliest, it is programmed by the semiconductor
vendor (standard cell, gate array).
ii) by the designer prior to assembly or field deployment.
iii) by the user in circuit.
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ADVANTAGES OF PLD COMPARED TO STANDARD IC & ASICs
PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC DEVICE
(PLD)
1. Reduced complexity of circuit boards
• Lower power requirements
• Less board space
• Simpler testing procedures
2. Higher reliability
3. Design flexibility
PLD DESIGN
BLOCK DIAGRAM OF PLD LOGIC
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PLD DESIGN
PLA ARCHITECTURE
X1 X2 X3
f1 f2 f3
• Both AND & OR plane can
be programmed
f1 = X1 X2 + X1 X3 + X1 X2 X3
_ _ _
• Boolean
Expression
• Schematic
Capture
• Truth Table
PLD DESIGN
PLD PROGRAMMING METHODS
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PLD DESIGN
Three methods of programming PLD:
i) Schematic Capture.
ii) Boolean Expression using Hardware
Description Language (HDL).
iii) Truth Table / State Diagram.
PLD PROGRAMMING METHODS
PLD PROGRAMMING METHOD
DESIGN LANGUAGE
Types of high level language used in
PLD programming :-
•HDL (Hardware Description Language)
VHDL (Very High Speed IC HDL)
Verilog
•CUPL (Universal Compiler for Programmable
Logic)
•PALASM (PAL Assembler)
•ABEL (Advanced Boolean Expression Language)
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3 methods of memory storing in PLD:
1) FAMOS - Floating Gate Avalanche Injection
Metal Oxide Semiconductor
2) Fuse
3) Anti- Fuse
PLD MEMORY STORING METHOD
1. FAMOS TRANSISTOR
FAMOS - Floating Gate Avalanche Injection Metal Oxide
Semiconductor
FAMOS transistor is the basic building block used to construct the
memory cells in non-volatile data storage such as flash, EPROM and
EEPROM memory.
Floating gate in FAMOS will trap and discharge
charges.
P
n+ n+
Gate
Floating Gate
SiO2
Gate
Physical Structure
Symb
ol
PLD MEMORY STORING METHOD
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FAMOS TRANSISTOR
The data stored in the memory is non-volatile: data is
still exist although the supply is removed.
P
n+ n+
+ + + + + + +
+
Vg =0
PLD MEMORY STORING METHOD
TRANSISTOR FAMOS
+25V
P subs
n+ n+
+16V
Depletion region
n
channel
FAMOS in ON state:
High Voltage is supplied between
Source and Drain ~ 16-20V.
High voltage is also supplied at
the gate (~25V).
n channel exists at the wafer
surface due to high voltage at
the gate.
The channel is tapered at the
drain due to high voltage
between source-drain.
Source-drain voltage will accelerate electrons (known as hot electrons)
through the existing channel. Since the SiO2 layer is very thin, this will
cause avalanche breakdown of the gate insulating layer allowing electrons to
travel through this SiO2 layer to the floating gate, giving the floating gate
electrode an electrical charge.
PLD MEMORY STORING METHOD
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TRANSISTOR FAMOS
PLD MEMORY STORING METHOD
FAMOS in OFF state:
When the floating gate is
charged, it modifies the
threshold voltage of the control
gate, inhibiting its operation.
Thus, it can be set to lock the
transistor in its off state,
distinguishing it from similar
transistor which have not bee
charged (programmed).
+25V
P subs
n+ n+
+16V
Depletion region
n
channel
The property of FAMOS transistor can be used to provide read-only memory
(ROM) function.
The floating gate can be restored to its uncharged state by exposure to
strong ultraviolet light which causes the charge to leak away.
Arrays of floating gate transistors in IC are used to provide erasable
programmable read-only memory (EPROM). In practice, a programmed
EPROM retains its data for about ten to twenty years and can be read an
unlimited number of times.
Fuse is a two-terminal programmable
element that is normally a low resistive
element and is programmed or "blown"
resulting in an open or high impedance.
2. FUSE
PLD MEMORY STORING METHOD
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3. ANTI-FUSE
• Anti-fuse is a two-terminal element that is
normally a high resistive element and is
programmed to a low impedance.
PLD MEMORY STORING METHOD
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FUSE AND ANTI-FUSE
Fuse links Anti-fuse links
PLD MEMORY STORING METHOD
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LARGE SCALE PLD
CPLD & FPGA
CPLD
CPLDs
CPLDs evolved from PALPLAs - as chip densities
increased, it was natural for the PLD manufacturers to
evolve their products into larger parts (several tens of
thousands of gates).
Larger sizes of CPLDs allow either more logic equations
or more complicated designs to be realised.
LARGE SCALE PLD
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CPLD
LARGE SCALE PLD
CPLDs - Applications
GPS Navigation
Systems
- Hard disk controller
- GPIO interface
- Timing configuration
- LCD Timing Control
- GPIO Expansion
- Power Management
- Level Shifting
PDA
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CPLDs - Applications
- Keypad scanner
- Logic consolidation
- Controller and interface conversion
- Interface expansion
- Simple glue logic
PrinterGSM Phone
CPLDs - Applications
P1200 portable handsets (Shenzhen Huayu Communications Technology
Company, China )
• Altera MAX II CPLD
• Interfaces with:
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader
- Infrared Data (IRDA) sensor
- Bluetooth interface
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CPLDs - Applications
Robot controller CD/audio controller
FPGA
This device is similar to the gate array, with the
device shipped to the user with general-purpose
metallization pre-fabricated, often with variable
length segments or routing tracks.
The device is programmed by turning on switches
which make connections between circuit nodes and
the metal routing tracks.
The connection may be made by a transistor switch
(which are controlled by a programmable memory
element) or by an anti-fuse.
LARGE SCALE PLD
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LARGE SCALE PLD
COMPARISON BETWEEN CPLD & FPGA
CPLD FPGA
Cheaper More expansive
Faster operation Slower
Contain less gates Contain more gates
Use for interfacing purpose Use for heavy computation purpose
Include built-in flash memory Need external memory
Comparison between full custom and semi
custom design
Full Custom Semi custom
i. Small chip size. i. Large chip size.
ii. Large number of mask. ii. Small number of mask.
iii. Time-consuming design. iii. Faster design time.
iv. High circuit performance. iv. Low circuit performance.
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
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DESIGN METHODOLOGY DIFFERENCES
Design
method
Design cost Chip size
Operation
speed
Power
dissipation
No. of
mask
Design
time
Full
custom
The most
expensive
The
smallest
Highest speed 5x Smaller Numerous
Time-
consuming
Standard
cell
Average Small High-speed 3x smaller Many Average
Gate
array
Cheaper Large Slow 2x Smaller 1@2 piece Fast
PLD
The
Cheapest
Largest Slowest 1x Smaller None The fastest
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
DESIGN METHODOLOGY CRITERIA
Criteria of selecting design methodology :
• Operation speed
• Components density
• Power dissipation
• Interface compatibility with other circuit
• Design and fabrication cost
• Integrated circuit testability
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
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1. Explain briefly these IC design methodologies:
i. Full custom
ii. Semi custom (10 marks)
2. State 2 differences between ASICs chip with general chip /
standard IC. (4 marks)
3. State 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages of ASICs .
(4 marks)
4. i. What is the meaning of gate array?
ii. Sketch and label the floor plan of gate array.
(6 marks)
5. State 2 advantages of standard cell.
(2 marks)
Example of final exam questions
IC DESIGN METHODOLOGY
THE END