Figures of merit for CMOS switching speed

A Figure of Merit for CMOS switching speed has been investigated using variation s of device parameters of CMOS transistors for several technology generations. A modification of the Figure of Merit to predict the signal propagation time of a CMOS circuit is suggested. The modified Figure of Merit permits a prediction of the signal propagation time in CMOS circuits with a significantly improved accu racy, because it accounts for several dynamic effects. Due to the improved accur acy, the modified Figure of Merit can be used as a tool to evaluate the impact o f different technological options on the CMOS circuit performance.