New Approach to Accelerating Analog Layout Surpasses Full Custom and Traditional Automation Methodologies

Despite many efforts to automate analog design and layout, these tasks remain primarily a full custom process, with the result that analog is occupying a larger and larger portion of the total design cycle time. Efforts to automate analog design have not been successful in the marketplace because the tools have not been able to equal the quality levels of full custom design, are complex to set up and use, and are expensive. Tanner EDA's new tool forgoes full automation in favor of accelerating the layout process by generating key analog design primitives, such as current mirrors and differential pairs. These primitives are often the most time"consuming aspect of layout and indeed the parts that are critical to the functionality of the silicon. The new tool applies matching techniques to address common processing artifacts, produces the optimal solution for parasitics and silicon area, and creates devices optimized for high yield.