ASIC Computer-Aided Design Flow
ELEC 5250/6250
ASIC Design Flow
ASIC Design Flow
Behavioral
Verify
Model
Function
VHDL/Verilog
Front-End
Synthesis
Design
DFT/BIST Gate-Level Verify
& ATPG Netlist Function
Test vectors Full-custom IC
Transistor-Level Verify Function
Standard Cell IC Netlist & Timing
& FPGA/CPLD
Back-End
Design
Physical
DRC & LVS Verify
Layout
Verification Timing
Map/Place/Route
IC Mask Data/FPGA Configuration File
“Front-End” Design & Verification
VHDL Create Behavioral/RTL VHDL-AMS
Verilog HDL Model(s) Verilog-AMS
SystemC
QuestaSim Simulate to Verify Questa ADMS
(digital) Functionality (analog/mixed signal)
Leonardo Spectrum, Technology
Synopsys - Synthesize Libraries
Design Compiler, Circuit
Xilinx ISE (digital) Design Constraints
QuestaSim Simulate to Verify
VITAL
(digital) Function/Timing
Library
Tessent
DFTAdvisor, Fastscan Design for testability ATPG
ATPG Library
Technology-specific
netlist to back-end tools Simulate to Verify VITAL
Function/Timing Library
ASIC “back end” (physical) design
Assume digital blocks/standard cells
(can also do full custom layout, IP blocks, mixed-signal blocks, etc.)
ASIC Hierarchical Netlist
Std. Cell
Layouts Floorplan Cadence
Chip/Blocks “SOC Encounter”
Libraries
“Virtuoso”
Process data, Plan Rows,
Design rules Place & Route
Std. Cells
Extract Parasitics, Layout vs.
Generate Design Rule
Backannotate Schematic
Mask Data Check (DRC)
Schematic (LVS) Check
Calibre Calibre Calibre
IC Mask Data ADiT Simulation Model
Cadence SOC Encounter – Mod7 Counter Layout
SoC Design Flow (Using IP cores)
IP Vendors:
Hardware Software
IP cores Purchase drivers core design
Purchase
HW cores SW drivers
SoC
Integrated Design specifics Integrated
Hardware Software
HW/SW partitioning
Fabless Vendors:
Functional Prototype on platforms Software SoC design
Simulation e.g. FPGA Simulation
Physical optimization HW/ SW Application development
and fabrication co-verification and test
Foundries:
Volume manufacture Chip fabrication
and ship
Device vendors:
PCB manufacture
and device assembly Final products
ASIC CAD tools available in ECE
Modeling and Simulation
Modelsim, Questa-ADMS, Eldo, ADiT (Mentor Graphics)
Verilog-XL, NC_Verilog, Spectre (Cadence)
Active-HDL (Aldec)
Design Synthesis (digital)
Leonardo Spectrum (Mentor Graphics)
Design Compiler (Synopsys), RTL Compiler (Cadence)
Design for Test and Automatic Test Pattern Generation
Tessent DFT Advisor, Fastscan, SoCScan (Mentor Graphics)
Schematic Capture & Design Integration
Pyxis Design Architect-IC (Mentor Graphics)
Design Framework II (DFII) - Composer (Cadence)
Physical Layout
Pyxis IC Station (Mentor Graphics)
SOC Encounter, Virtuoso (Cadence)
Design Verification
Calibre DRC, LVS, PEX (Mentor Graphics)
Diva, Assura (Cadence)
IC Process Design Kits (PDKs)
Foundry-specific data and models for a
specific IC technology
Used by the design tools
Design components for both front-end
& back-end design
Design entry/modeling
Technology/process data
Layer definitions/parameters (Trans, R,C,…)
Design rules
Standard Cell Library
Synthesis library
Simulation models (Verilog, transistor)
Physical designs (LEF models)
Timing models (fast, typical, slow)
Verification (DRC,LVS,PEX)
DFT/test generation
IP and device generators (RAM, etc.)
Global Foundries BiCMOS8HP 130nm PDK
Global Foundries BiCMOS8HP 130nm PDK
• Physical Design Cells
- FILLx (row fill cells, x=1,2,4,8,…,128)
- FGTIE (floating-gate tie-down)
I/O
- NWSX (substrate and n-well taps)
Global Foundries PDK Directory Structure
IBM_PDK/bicmos8hp/<version>/
Subdirectory Contents
doc/ Technology Design Manual
Model Reference Guide
Layer Mapping File
cdslib/bicmos8hp Cadence BiCMOS8HP Device Library (IC61)
/esd8hp Cadence BiCMOS8HP ESD Library
/Skill Context Files (Skill Utilities)
/examples Example Setup Files
/doc Cadence Library Documentation
Assura/DRC DRC Files
/LVS LVS Files
/doc Assura Release Notes
EM/ Electromagnetic Enablement
/doc E-M File Release Notes and Guide
/EMX EMX Proc Files
/Momentum Momentum Layer and Substrate Files
HSPICE/models HSPICE Device Model Files
/doc HSPICE Release Notes
Spectre/models Spectre (Direct) Device Model Files
/doc Spectre Release Notes
utils/ Kit Utility Programs
FPGA Design Flow
Behavioral Verify
Design Function
Mentor Graphics
Front-End Tools Synthesis
(Technology-Independent)
Gate-Level Verify
Schematic Function
EDIF Netlist
Xilinx/Altera/Other
Map, Place Verify
Back-End Tools
& Route Timing
(Technology-Specific)
FPGA Configuration File
Xilinx/Altera FPGA/CPLD Design Tools
Simulate designs in Modelsim (or other simulation tools)
Behavioral/RTL models (VHDL,Verilog)
Synthesized netlists (VHDL, Verilog)
Requires “primitives” library for the target technology
Synthesize netlist from behavioral/RTL model
Vendor-provided: Xilinx Vivado (previously ISE), Altera Quartus II
Leonardo (Levels 1,2,3) has FPGA & ASIC libraries (ASIC-only version installed at AU)
Vendor tools for back-end design
Map, place, route, configure device, timing analysis, generate timing models
Xilinx Vivado (previously ISE - Integrated Software Environment)
Altera Quartus II
Higher level tools for system design & management
Xilinx Platform Studio : SoC design, IP management, HW/SW codesign
Mentor Graphics FPGA Advantage
