Structured Analog Layout Design

Abstract

Analog integrated circuits are very important as interfaces between the digital parts of integrated electronic systems and the outside word. A large portion of the effort involved in designing these circuits is spent in the layout phase, which continues to be a manual, time-consuming and error-prone task. This is mainly due to the continuous nature of analog signals, which causes analog circuit performance to be very sensitive to layout parasitics. Successful automation of analog layout requires a structured layout methodology, state-of-the-art CAD tools and a well-integrated design system. In this paper, we describe such a system and show it’s importance in obtaining a manufacturable layout that meets all specifications at minimum cost and in the minimum time. We give an overview of the advanced methods and tools currently available for analog layout generation, migration and reuse.