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Digital Integrated Circuits

A Design Perspective

Jan M. Rabaey

Outline (approximate)
Introduction and Motivation
The VLSI Design Process
Details of the MOS Transistor
Device Fabrication
Design Rules
CMOS circuits
VLSI Structures
System Timing
Real Circuits and Performance
Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

The First Computer

The Babbage
Difference Engine
(1832)
25,000 parts
cost: 17,470
Digital Integrated Circuits

Introduction

Prentice Hall 1995

ENIAC - The first electronic computer


(1946)

Digital Integrated Circuits

Introduction

Prentice Hall 1995

Evolution in Complexity

Digital Integrated Circuits

Introduction

Prentice Hall 1995

What is CMOS VLSI?


MOS = Metal Oxide Semiconductor (This used to
mean a Metal gate over Oxide insulation)
Now we use polycrystalline silicon which is
deposited on the surface of the chip as a gate. We
call this poly or just red stuff to distinguish it from
the body of the chip, the substrate, which is a single
crystal of silicon.
We do use metal (aluminum) for interconnection
wires on the surface of the chip.

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

CMOS:Complementary MOS
Means we are using both N-channel and Pchannel type enhancement mode Field Effect
Transistors (FETs).
Field Effect- NO current from the controlling
electrode into the output

FET is a voltage controlled current device


BJT is a current controlled current device

N/P Channel - doping of the substrate for


increased carriers (electrons or holes)

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

N-Channel Enhancement
mode MOS FET
FourTerminalDevicesubstratebias

TheselfalignedgatekeytoCMOS
Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

VLSI:Very Large Scale


Integration

Integration: Integrated Circuits


multiple devices on one substrate

How large is Very Large?


SSI (small scale integration)

7400 series, 10-100 transistors

MSI (medium scale)

74000 series 100-1000

LSI 1,000-10,000 transistors


VLSI > 10,000 transistors
ULSI/SLSI (some disagreement)

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

Intel 4004 Micro-Processor

Digital Integrated Circuits

Introduction

Prentice Hall 1995

Evolution in Transistor Count

Digital Integrated Circuits

Introduction

Prentice Hall 1995

Scale Example
Consider a chip size of 20mm X 20mm
Consider a transistor size of 2um X
2um

With area for wires, etc.

1x108 transistors / chip


Or - plot at 1 transistor : 1 mm

1 chip : 20 meter x 20 meter plot

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

Intel Pentium (II) microprocessor

Digital Integrated Circuits

Introduction

Prentice Hall 1995

VLSI Design
But the real issue is that VLSI is about designing
systems on chips.
The designs are complex, and we need to use
structured design techniques and sophisticated
design tools to manage the complexity of the
design.
We also accept the fact that any technology we
learn the details of will be out of date soon.
We are trying to develop and use techniques that
will transcend the technology, but still respect it.

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

The Process of VLSI Design:


Consists of many different representations/Abstractions of the
system (chip) that is being designed.
System Level Design
Architecture / Algorithm Level Design
Digital System Level Design
Logical Level Design
Electrical Level Design
Layout Level Design
Semiconductor Level Design (possibly more)
Each abstraction/view is itself a Design Hierarchy of refinements
which decompose the design.

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

Design Abstraction Levels


SYSTEM

MODULE
+
GATE

CIRCUIT

DEVICE
G
S
n+

Digital Integrated Circuits

Introduction

D
n+

Prentice Hall 1995

Help from Computer Aided


Design tools

Tools

Logic design
Electronic/circuit
design
Device physics
Artwork
Applications - system
design
Architectures

Editors
Simulators
Libraries
Module Synthesis
Place/Route
Chip Assemblers
Silicon Compilers

Introduction to VLSI Design

Experts

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

New Design Methodologies

Methodologies which are based on:


System Level Abstractions v.s. Device
Characteristic Abstractions
Logic structures and circuitry change slowly over
time

trade-offs do change, but the choices do not

Scalable Designs
Layout techniques also change slowly.

But the minimum feature size steadily decreases with time


(also Voltage, Die Size, etc.)

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

Design Approaches
Custom

full control of design


best results, slowest design time.

Semi-custom (std cell)

use Cell libraries from vendor


cad tools, faster design time

Gate Array

fastest design time


worst speed/power/density
best low volume (worst high volume)

EPLA/EPLD - FPGA - electrically programmable (in the


field) -

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

Close up of Intel Chip?

Time Magazine, July 1998


Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

Evolution in Speed/Performance

Digital Integrated Circuits

Introduction

Prentice Hall 1995

Technologies
Bipolar (BJT)

TTL, Schottky
ECL
I^2 L

Dual Junction, current controlled devices

MOS (FET unipolar)


NMOS, PMOS
CMOS <== our course

Single Junction voltage controlled devices

GaAs (typically JFETs)


OEICs - MQWs, Integrated Lasers,?

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

Silicon in 2010
Density AccessTime
(Gbits/cm2)
(ns)
Die Area:
2.5x2.5 cm
DRAM
8.5
10
Voltage:
0.6 V
2.5
10
Technology: 0.07 m DRAM (Logic)
SRAM (Cache)
0.3
1.5
Density
Max. Ave. Power Clock Rate
(Mgates/cm2)
(W/cm2)
(GHz)
Custom
25
54
3
Std. Cell
10
27
1.5
GateArray
5
18
1
Single-Mask GA
2.5
12.5
0.7
FPGA
0.4
4.5
0.25
Digital Integrated Circuits

Introduction

Prentice Hall 1995

SIA -National Technology


Roadmap for Semiconductors

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

SIA -National Technology


Roadmap for Semiconductors

Introduction to VLSI Design

8
inch
Introduction

18 inch
Steven P. Levitan 1998

SIA -National Technology


Roadmap for Semiconductors

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

SIA -National Technology


Roadmap for Semiconductors

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

SIA -National Technology


Roadmap for Semiconductors

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

SIA -National Technology


Roadmap for Semiconductors

Introduction to VLSI Design

Introduction

Steven P. Levitan 1998

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