12656results about "CAD circuit design" patented technology

A system for analyzing IC layouts and designs by calculating variations of a number of objects to be created on a semiconductor wafer as a result of different process conditions. The variations are analyzed to determine individual feature failures or to rank layout designs by their susceptibility to process variations. In one embodiment, the variations are represented by PV-bands having an inner edge that defines the smallest area in which an object will always print and an outer edge that defines the largest area in which an object will print under some process conditions.

An automated processor design tool uses a description of customized processor instruction set extensions in a standardized language to develop a configurable definition of a target instruction set, a Hardware Description Language description of circuitry necessary to implement the instruction set, and development tools such as a compiler, assembler, debugger and simulator which can be used to develop applications for the processor and to verify it. Implementation of the processor circuitry can be optimized for various criteria such as area, power consumption, speed and the like. Once a processor configuration is developed, it can be tested and inputs to the system modified to iteratively optimize the processor implementation. By providing a constrained domain of extensions and optimizations, the process can be automated to a high degree, thereby facilitating fast and reliable development.

Model-order reduction techniques are described for RLC circuits modeling the VLSI layouts. A structured model order reduction is developed to preserve the block-level sparsity, hierarchy and latency. In addition, a structured and parameterized model order reduction is developed to generate macromodels for design optimizations of VLSI layouts. The applications are thermal via allocation under the dynamic thermal integrity and via stapling to simultaneously optimize thermal and power integrity.

Various methods and systems for utilizing design data in combination with inspection data are provided. One computer-implemented method for determining a position of inspection data in design data space includes aligning data acquired by an inspection system for alignment sites on a wafer with data for predetermined alignment sites. The method also includes determining positions of the alignment sites on the wafer in design data space based on positions of the predetermined alignment sites in the design data space. In addition, the method includes determining a position of inspection data acquired for the wafer by the inspection system in the design data space based on the positions of the alignment sites on the wafer in the design data space. In one embodiment, the position of the inspection data is determined with sub-pixel accuracy.

A system and a method of maximizing the manufacturing yield of integrated circuit (“IC”) design using IC fabrication process simulation driven layout optimization is described. An IC design layout is automatically modified through formulation of a layout optimization problem utilizing the results of layout fabrication process compliance analysis tools. The modification of layout is performed adaptively and iteratively to make an IC layout less susceptible to yield issues while maintaining design rule correctness and minimal circuit performance impact.

A memory using a mixed valence conductive oxides. The memory includes a mixed valence conductive oxide that is less conductive in its oxygen deficient state and a mixed electronic ionic conductor that is an electrolyte to oxygen and promotes an electric field effective to cause oxygen ionic motion.

One embodiment of the present invention determines the effect of placing an assist feature at a location in a layout. During operation, the system receives a first value which was pre-computed by convolving a model with a layout at an evaluation point, wherein the model models semiconductor manufacturing processes. Next, the system determines a second value by convolving the model with an assist feature, which is assumed to be located at a first location which is in proximity to the evaluation point. The system then determines the effect of placing an assist feature using the first value and the second value. An embodiment of the present invention can be used to determine a substantially optimal location for placing an assist feature in a layout.

Various methods and systems for determining a position of inspection data in design data space are provided. One computer-implemented method includes determining a centroid of an alignment target formed on a wafer using an image of the alignment target acquired by imaging the wafer. The method also includes aligning the centroid to a centroid of a geometrical shape describing the alignment target. In addition, the method includes assigning a design data space position of the centroid of the alignment target as a position of the centroid of the geometrical shape in the design data space. The method further includes determining a position of inspection data acquired for the wafer in the design data space based on the design data space position of the centroid of the alignment target.

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGA's) may be structured in accordance with the disclosure to have a register-intensive architecture that provides, for each of plural function-spawning LookUp Tables (e.g. a 4-input, base LUT's) within a logic block, a plurality of in-block accessible registers. A register-feeding multiplexer means may be provided for allowing each of the plural registers to equivalently capture and store a result signal output by the corresponding, base LUT of the plural registers. Registerable, primary and secondary feedthroughs may be provided for each base LUT so that locally-acquired input signals of the LUT may be fed-through to the corresponding, in-block registers for register-recovery purposes without fully consuming (wasting) the lookup resources of the associated, base LUT. A multi-stage, input switch matrix (ISM) may be further provided for acquiring and routing input signals from adjacent, block-interconnect lines (AIL's) and/or block-intra-connect lines (e.g., FB's) to the base LUT's and/or their respective, registerable feedthroughs. Techniques are disclosed for utilizing the many in-block registers and/or the registerable feedthroughs and/or the multi-stage ISM's for efficiently implementing various circuit designs by appropriately configuring such register-intensive FPGA's.

A reconfigurable test system including a host computer coupled to a reconfigurable test instrument. The reconfigurable test instrument includes reconfigurable hardware-i.e. a reconfigurable hardware module with one or more programmable elements such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays for realizing an arbitrary hardware architecture and a reconfigurable front end with programmable transceivers for interfacing with any desired physical medium-and optionally, an embedded processor. A user specifies system features with a software configuration utility which directs a component selector to select a set of software modules and hardware configuration files from a series of libraries. The modules are embedded in a host software driver or downloaded for execution on the embedded CPU. The configuration files are downloaded to the reconfigurable hardware. The entire selection process is performed in real-time and can be changed whenever the user deems necessary. Alternatively, the user may create a graphical program in a graphical programming environment and compile the program into various software modules and configuration files for host execution, embedded processor execution, or programming the reconfigurable hardware.

Impact on parametric performance of physical design choices for transistors is scored for on-current and off-current of the transistors. The impact of the design parameters are incorporated into parameters that measure predicted shift in mean on-current and mean off-current and parameters that measure predicted increase in deviations in the distribution of on-current and the off-current. Statistics may be taken at a cell level, a block level, or a chip level to optimize a chip design in a design phase, or to predict changes in parametric yield during manufacturing or after a depressed parametric yield is observed. Further, parametric yield and current level may be predicted region by region and compared with observed thermal emission to pinpoint any anomaly region in a chip to facilitate detection and correction in any mistakes in chip design.

A system and method for generating a mask layout file to reduce power supply voltage fluctuations in an integrated circuit are disclosed. The method includes analyzing a pattern in a mask layout file to identify a region in the pattern to add one or more decoupling capacitors. Once the region is identified, a feature located in the identified region is moved based on a design rule from a first position to a second position in the mask layout file to create a space in the identified region. The decoupling capacitors are automatically placed in the space in the identified region.

The debug system described in this patent specification provides a system that generates hardware elements from normally non-synthesizable code elements for placement on an FPGA device. This particular FPGA device is called a Behavior Processor. This Behavior Processor executes in hardware those code constructs that were previously executed in software. When some condition is satisfied (e.g., If . . . then . . . else loop) which requires some intervention by the workstation or the software model, the Behavior Processor works with an Xtrigger device to send a callback signal to the workstation for immediate response.

Structural parameters of a specimen are determined by fitting models of the response of the specimen to measurements collected by different measurement techniques in a combined analysis. Models of the response of the specimen to at least two different measurement technologies share at least one common geometric parameter. In some embodiments, a model building and analysis engine performs x-ray and optical analyses wherein at least one common parameter is coupled during the analysis. The fitting of the response models to measured data can be done sequentially, in parallel, or by a combination of sequential and parallel analyses. In a further aspect, the structure of the response models is altered based on the quality of the fit between the models and the corresponding measurement data. For example, a geometric model of the specimen is restructured based on the fit between the response models and corresponding measurement data.

A system and method for designing ICs, including the steps of: analyzing and optimizing a target IC design based on design-specific objectives; partitioning the optimized target IC design into pre-defined standard-cells from one or more libraries and creating design-specific cells specifically having unique functionality and characteristics not found amongst the standard-cells; identifying and determining a minimal subset of the standard-cells and design-specific cells, the interconnection of which represents the target IC design; generating the necessary views, including layout and characterizing of the design-specific cells included in a unique, minimal subset, wherein the IC design is subject to objectives and constraints of the target IC.

A method for performing a mask design layout resolution enhancement includes determining a level of correction for a mask design layout for a predetermined parametric yield with a minimum total correction cost. The mask design layout is corrected at a determined level of correction based on a correction algorithm if the correction is required. In this manner, only those printed features on the mask design layout that are critical for obtaining a desired performance yield are corrected, thereby reducing total cost of correction of the mask design layout.

An automated design for manufacturability platform for integrated physical verification and manufacturing enhancement operations. Given original layouts and one or more associated resolution-enhanced layouts, intermediate resolution-enhancement state layouts are reconstructed, and selective localized resolution-enhancement reconfigurations, modifications, and/or perturbations are introduced on any existing enhancements in order to improve manufacturability and yield.

The invention provides a method and process for designing an integrated circuit based on using the results from both 1) a specific set of silicon test structure characterizations and 2) the decomposition of logic into combinations of simple logic primitives, from which a set of logic bricks are derived that can be assembled for a manufacturable-by-construction design. This implementation of logic is compatible with the lithography settings that are used for implementation of the memory blocks and other components on the integrated circuit, particularly by implementing geometrically consistent component features. The invention provides the ability to recompile a design comprised of logic and memory blocks onto a new geometry fabric to implement a set of technology-specific design changes, without requiring a complete redesign of the entire integrated circuit.