Design of a Macrocell Array for Use in High Energy Physics

摘要

A macrocell array is a semicustom integrated circuit which can replace 25 or more standard (catalogue) circuits at lower cost (in quantities greater than a few hundred pieces) and to much improved performance. The different stages in the design of the first macrocell array applied in a CERN project are described. A powerful CAD system with logic simulations, automatic routing, fault grading and various design checking programs was accessed by a 300 baud telephone connection via the local branch office to the manufacturer's computer centre. (ERA citation 10:034486)