Computer-aided design of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits

TLDR

Analog blocks are a small fraction of mixed‑signal ICs, yet rising integration and the need for digital‑analog interaction drive demand for CAD tools that boost productivity and improve analog quality. The paper surveys recent advances in CAD tools for analog and mixed‑signal ICs, outlining their evolution, progress on key design problems, and distinguishing emerging solutions from remaining challenges. It reviews state‑of‑the‑art CAD techniques, covering simulation, modeling, symbolic analysis, synthesis, optimization, layout generation, yield analysis, design centering, and testing.

Abstract

This survey presents an overview of recent advances in the state of the art for computer-aided design (CAD) tools for analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs). Analog blocks typically constitute only a small fraction of the components on mixed-signal ICs and emerging systems-on-a-chip (SoC) designs. But due to the increasing levels of integration available in silicon technology and the growing requirement for digital systems to communicate with the continuous-valued external world, there is a growing need for CAD tools that increase the design productivity and improve the quality of analog integrated circuits. This paper describes the motivation and evolution of these tools and outlines progress on the various design problems involved: simulation and modeling, symbolic analysis, synthesis and optimization, layout generation, yield analysis and design centering, and test. This paper summarizes the problems for which viable solutions are emerging and those which are still unsolved.