Computer aided design for analog applications (panel session)

摘要

Until recently, advanced, sophisticated CAD design tools have been developed primarily for digital IC design leaving analogous tools for analog applications behind. Important technical advances from the telecom and microcomputer industries in conjunction with new semiconductor technology is putting increasing emphasis on overcoming previous barriers and getting comparable CAD products into the hands of analog designers. With the appearance of several new products which directly address this problem, it is time that the design automation community begin to focus its attention on the improvement of computer-assisted analog design and its impact for the future.

The cost/performance benefits of new systems such as the Analog Workbench, Linear CAD I and CAPSIZE have indicated that analog CAE can be implemented in a viable and effective manner that is comparable to many of the best digital schemes. What will determine the continued growth and improvement of analog CAE are economical and effective answers to such questions as:

How well do current tools meet the needs of present analog designers?

How can we improve or modify existing methods to accelerate a transition to automated linear design?

How will traditional barriers of advanced analog circuitry be overcome and made feasible for software implementation?

Can important problems be identified and solved to insure that future analog CAD will keep pace with design?

Upon assessing the current needs of linear design, it is apparent that answering these questions is no an easy task. In CAD, one can see that to generate a digital circuit of several thousand gates using model libraries and computer-generated verification is comparatively simple compared to building an analog circuit of less than fifty components all of which are individual, and characterized by thirty to forty parameters each. Clearly, the need for quality simulation, layout, verification, and test programs is becoming critical.

To be effective for custom or semicustom design, a CAD program must offer a significant reduction in both the design cycle and manufacturing throughout. One way this can be achieved effectively is to integrate workstation capabilities with software packages which can handle a multitude of tasks. But how well will this digital-based automated methodology be able to achieve similar reductions for complex linear circuits requiring extensive optimization and testing. Today, parts of an integrated system may exist, but finding a vendor-based CAE/CAD system to handle an entire product cycle is difficult.

Workstation and software development for analog CAD is now at a critical point in its history. The rapid growth of linear and digital/analog circuits for new communications and computer systems, and the expansion of the custom/semicustom marketplace is putting increased emphasis on analog design tools for support. To sustain this development automated design environments capable of handling both digital and analog requirements efficiently will be needed. For guidance, we, the industry, must critically evaluate what is available today to determine what we will need tomorrow.

The panel will examine this issue by looking at key topics including analog design requirements, strengths and weaknesses of existing design. The session will conclude with an open discussion of these topics concentrating on problems and experiences within the industry, and possible trends and solutions for the future.