A Systematic and Automated Design Flow Approach for Robust Analog/Mixed-Signal Chips

The world seems to get more and more digital through smart devices, smart production, and AI for many application areas. However, the world we live in remains analog. So, the transition between the analog world and the smart digital world faces growing relevance and so the related functionality in microchips does. But while the digital part of chips is designed using complete and heavily automated design flows, the design of analog/mixed-signal (AMS) circuitry still requires large manual efforts. Although computer-aided design tools (CAD tools) evolve, still no seamless design flow exists for AMS circuit design resulting in long design cycles and high design risk. Therefore, in the German project AnastASICA, funded by BMBF, missing methods and links are being developed. AnastASICA targets an AMS design flow that is as systematic as possible and that applies significant use of EDA (electronic design automation). For this purpose, the project joins individual EDA solutions among the partners ranging from modeling with SystemC-AMS, adaptive AMS circuit design, circuit optimization, and layout generation into a continuous and structured design flow. A key aspect in the development of this design flow is design for reuse. All design levels are included and, thus, circuit adaptations will be significantly eased. As a unique approach, the AnastASICA project accommodates the architects of individual key EDA tools and methods as well as experienced AMS designers in order to create a structured and powerful AMS design flow that can be applied to various application sectors in our smart world.