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Chapter 5
Enhancing an Automatic
Analog IC Design Flow
by Using a Technology-
Independent Module Generator
ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a new methodology to enhance the optimization process of an analog integrated
circuit synthesis tool, AIDA-C, by taking into account the foorplan of the circuit. The addition of the new
Analog Module Generator (AMG) in the AIDA framework creates the possibility to efciently explore
the circuit foorplan during the optimization process and to improve the quality of the fnal foorplan by
adding complex device structures enhancing the layout matching, symmetry, and routing, reducing some
of the non-idealities to which analog integrated circuits are so sensitive. The performance enhancement
attained with AMG is demonstrated using a well-known benchmark circuit, optimized by AIDA-C with
and without taking into account AMG’s complex structures in the evaluation of the circuit’s foorplan.
António Canelas
Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal &
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Ricardo Martins
Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal &
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Ricardo Póvoa
Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal &
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Nuno Lourenço
Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal &
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Jorge Guilherme
Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal &
Instituto Politécnico de Tomar, Portugal
Nuno Horta
Instituto de Telecomunicações, Portugal &
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-6627-6.ch005