INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR DESIGN, SIMULATION AND VERIFICATION OF MONOLITHIC, SILICON-BASED OPTO-ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS

摘要

Computer-aided design (CAD) tools are used to perform the integrated design,verification and layout of electrical and optical components in a monolithic,silicon-~based electro-optic chip. Separate top-level behavioral logic designsare prepared for the three different types of elements included within thefinal, silicon-based monolithic structure: (1) digital electronic integratedcircuit elements; (2) analog/mixed signal electronic integrated circuitelements; and (3) opto-electronic elements (including passive and activeoptical elements). Once the behavioral logic design is completed, the resultsare combined and co-simulated. A physical layout design is developed andverified for each different type of element in the circuit. The separatephysical layouts are then co-verified, to assess the properties of the overallphysical design. The results of the co-simulation are compared to the resultsof the co-verification, with alterations made in the logic design and/or thephysical layout until the desired operating parameters are obtained. Once thedesired results are generated, conventional wafer-level fabrication operationsare then considered to provide a final product (~tape out~).