lecture 4 design rules,layout and stick diagram

Lecture 4 Design Rules,Layout

and Stick Diagram

Pradondet [email protected]

Department of Computer EngineeringKasetsart University

April 22, 2023 204424 Digital Design Automation2

Acknowledgement This lecture note has been summarized from

lecture note on Introduction to VLSI Design, VLSI Circuit Design all over the world. I can’t remember where those slide come from. However, I’d like to thank all professors who create such a good work on those lecture notes. Without those lectures, this slide can’t be finished.


Roadmap for the term: major topics VLSI Overview CMOS Processing & Fabrication Components: Transistors, Wires, & Parasitics Design Rules & Layout Combinational Circuit Design & Layout Sequential Circuit Design & Layout Standard-Cell Design with CAD Tools Systems Design using Verilog HDL Design Project: Complete Chip


P substrate

Review - CMOS Mask Layers Determine placement of

layout objects Color coding specifies

layers Layout objects:

Rectangles Polygons Arbitrary shapes

Grid types Absolute (“micron”) Scaleable (“lambda”) wafer

n well


Mask Generation Mask Design using Layout Editor

user specifies layout objects on different layers output: layout file

Pattern Generator Reads layout file Generates enlarged master image of each mask layer Image printed on glass

Step & repeat camera Reduces & copies image onto mask One copy for each die on wafer Note importance of mask alignment


Symbolic Mask Layers Key idea:

Reduce layers to those that describe design Generate physical layers as needed

Magic Layout Editor: "Abstract Layers” metal1 (blue) - 1st layer metal (equiv. to physical layer) Poly (red) - polysilicon (equivalent to physical layer) ndiff (green) - n diffusion (combination of active, nselect) ntranistor (green/red crosshatch) - combined poly, ndiff pdiff (brown) - p diffusion (combination of active, pselect) ptransistor (brown/red crosshatch) - combined poly, pdiff contacts: combine layers, cut mask


About Magic Scalable Grid for Scalable Design Rules

Grid distance: lambda) Value is process-dependent:

= 0.5 X minimum transistor length Painting metaphor

Paint squares on grid for each mask layer Layers to interact to form components (e.g.

transistors)


Mask Layers in Magic Poly (red) N Diffusion (green) P Diffusion (brown) Metal (blue) Metal 2 (purple) Well (cross-hatching) Contacts (X)


Magic User-Interface Graphic Display Window

Cursor Box - specifies area to paint

Command window (not shown) accepts text commands:paint poly:paint red:paint ndiff:paint green:write

prints error & status messages

Cursor

Box

Paint(poly)

Paint(pdiff)

Paint(ntransistor)


Layer Interaction in Magic Transistors - where poly, diffusion cross

poly crosses ndiffusion - ntransistor poly crosses pdiffusion - ptransistor

Vias - where layers connect Metal 1 connecting to Poly - polycontact Metal 1 connecting to P-Diffusion (normal) - pdc Metal 1 connecting to P-Diffusion (substrate contact) - psc Metal 1 connecting to N-Diffusion (normal) - ndc Metal 1 connecting to N-Diffusion (substrate contact) - nsc Metal 1 connecting to Metal 2 - via


Magic Layers - Example

nwell

nsc

psc

p-transistor

ntransistor

metal1

metal1

metal1

poly

poly

ndc ndc

polycontact

polycontact

pdc


Why we need design rules Masks are tooling for manufacturing. Manufacturing processes have inherent

limitations in accuracy. Design rules specify geometry of masks

which will provide reasonable yields. Design rules are determined by experience.


Manufacturing problems Photoresist shrinkage, tearing. Variations in material deposition. Variations in temperature. Variations in oxide thickness. Impurities. Variations between lots. Variations across a wafer.


Transistor problems Varaiations in threshold voltage:

oxide thickness; ion implanatation; poly variations.

Changes in source/drain diffusion overlap. Variations in substrate.


Wiring problems Diffusion: changes in doping -> variations in

resistance, capacitance. Poly, metal: variations in height, width ->

variations in resistance, capacitance. Shorts and opens:


Oxide problems Variations in height. Lack of planarity -> step coverage.

metal 1metal 2

metal 2


Via problems Via may not be cut all the way through. Undesize via has too much resistance. Via may be too large and create short.


MOSIS SCMOS design rules Designed to scale across a wide range of

technologies. Designed to support multiple vendors. Designed for educational use. Ergo, fairly conservative.


and design rules is the size of a minimum feature. Specifying particularizes the scalable rules. Parasitics are generally not specified in

units


Design Rules Typical rules:

Minumum sizeMinimum spacingAlignment / overlapCompositionNegative features


Types of Design Rules Scalable Design Rules (e.g. SCMOS)

Based on scalable “coarse grid” - (lambda) Idea: reduce value for each new process, but keep rules

the sameKey advantage: portable layoutKey disadvantage: not everything scales the same

Not used in “real life” Absolute Design Rules

Based on absolute distances (e.g. 0.75µm) Tuned to a specific process (details usually proprietary) Complex, especially for deep submicron Layouts not portable


SCMOS Design Rules Intended to be Scalable

Original rules: SCMOS Submicron: SCMOS-SUBM Deep Submicron: SCMOS-DEEP

Pictorial Summary: Book Fig. 2-24, p. 27 Authoritative Reference: www.mosis.org


SCMOS Design Rule Summary Line size and spacing:

metal1: Minimum width=3, Minimum Spacing=3 metal2: Minimum width=3, Minimum Spacing=4 poly: Minimum width= 2, Minimum Spacing=2 ndiff/pdiff: Minimum width= 3, Minimum Spacing=3

minimum ndiff/pdiff seperation=10 wells: minimum width=10,

min distance form well edge to source/drain=5 Transistors:

Min width=3 Min length=2 Min poly overhang=2


SCMOS Design Rule Summary Contacts (Vias)

Cut size: exactly 2 X 2 Cut separation: minimum 2 Overlap: min 1 in all directions Magic approach: Symbolic contact layer min. size 4 X 4 Contacts cannot stack (i.e., metal2/metal1/poly)

Other rules cut to poly must be 3 from other poly cut to diff must be 3 from other diff metal2/metal1 contact cannot be directly over poly negative features must be at least 2 in size CMP Density rules (AMI/HP subm): 15% Poly, 30% Metal


Design Rule Checking in Magic Design violations

displayed as error paint Find which rule is

violated with ":drc why” Poly must overhang transistor by at least 2 (MOSIS rule #3.3)


Scaling Design Rules Effects of scaling down are positive See book, p. 78-79 - if “everything” scales,

scaling circuit by 1/x increases performance by x

Problem: not everything scales proportionally


Aside - About MOSIS MOSIS - MOS Implementation Service Rapid-prototyping for small chips

Multi-project chip idea - several designs on the same wafer

Reduced mask costs per design Accepts layout designs via email Brokers fabrication by foundries

(e.g. AMI, Agilent, IBM, TSMC) Packages chips & ships back to designers

Our designs will use AMI 1.5µm process (more about this later)


Aside - About MOSIS Some Typical MOSIS Prices (from www.mosis.org)

AMI 1.5µm “Tiny Chip” (2.2mm X 2.2mm) $1,080 AMI 1.5µm 9.4mm X 9.7mm $17,980 AMI 0.5µm 0-5mm2 $5,900 TSMC 0.25µm 0-10mm2 $15,550 TSMC 0.18µm 0-7mm2 $24,500 TSMC 100-159mm2 $63,250 + $900 X size

MOSIS Educational Program (what we use) AMI 1.5µm “Tiny Chip” (2.2mm X 2.2mm) FREE* AMI 0.5mm “Tiny Chip” (1.5mm X 1.5mm) FREE*

*sponsored by Semiconductor Industry Assn., Semiconductor Research Corp., | AMI, Inc., DuPont Photomasks, and MOSIS


Layout Considerations Break layout into interconnected cells Use hierarchy to control complexity Connect cells by

Abutment Added wires

Key goals: Minimize size of overall layout Meet performance constraints Meet design time deadlines


Hierarchy in Layout Chips are constructed as a hierarchy of cells

Leaf cells - bottom of hierarchy Root cells - contains overall cell

Example - hypothetical “UART” Pad frame - “ring” that contains I/O pads Core - contains logic organized as subcells

Shift registerFSMOther cells


Hierarchy Example Root Cell: UART

Root Cell: UART

Pad Frame Core

Pad 1 Pad 2 ... Pad N Shift Register FSM Other

Cells


Wires

metal 36

metal 23

metal 13

pdiff/ndiff3

poly2


Transistors

2

3

1

3 2

5


Vias Types of via: metal1/diff, metal1/poly,

metal1/metal2.

41

4

2


Metal 3 via Type: metal3/metal2. Rules:

cut: 3 x 3 overlap by metal2: 1 minimum spacing: 3 minimum spacing to via1: 2


Tub tie

41


Spacings Diffusion/diffusion: 3 Poly/poly: 2 Poly/diffusion: 1 Via/via: 2 Metal1/metal1: 3 Metal2/metal2: 4 Metal3/metal3: 4


Overglass Cut in passivation layer. Minimum bonding pad: 100 m. Pad overlap of glass opening: 6 Minimum pad spacing to unrelated metal2/3:

30 Minimum pad spacing to unrelated metal1,

poly, active: 15


Stick diagrams (1/3) A stick diagram is a cartoon of a layout. Does show all components/vias (except

possibly tub ties), relative placement. Does not show exact placement, transistor

sizes, wire lengths, wire widths, tub boundaries.


Stick Diagrams (2/3) Key idea: "Stick figure cartoon" of a layout Useful for planning layout

relative placement of transistors assignment of signals to layers connections between cells cell hierarchy


Stick Diagrams (3/3)

Metal (BLUE)Polysilicion (RED )N-Diffusion (Green)P-Diffusion (Brown)Contact / Via

polyn-diffp-diffmetal

poly n-diff p-diff metal

S N P NCS X NC

S NCS

Connection RulesLayers


Example - Stick Diagrams (1/2)

A B

A

B

Circuit Diagram. Pull-Down Network(The easy part!)

Alternatives - Pull-up Network

Complete Stick Diagram


Example - Stick Diagrams (2/2)

Inverter

Vdd

In

Gnd

Out

NAND Gate

Vdd

AOut

Gnd

B


Dynamic latch stick diagram

VDD

in

VSSphiphi’

out


Stick Diagram XOR Gate Examples

Exclusive OR Gate

Vdd

A

Out

GndB

A’ B’

A’

B’

BA’

Out

A A’

B B’

A

B’

A

B

A’

B’

A’

B


Hierarchical Stick Diagrams Define cells by outlines & use in a hierarchy

to build more complex cells

VddA

Out

Gnd

B

Vdd

Gnd

VddA

Out

Gnd

B

Vdd

Gnd

NAND

NAND CellStick Diagram

NAND CellOutline


Cell Connection Schemes External connection - wire cells together Abutment - design cells to connect when

adjacent Reflection, mirroring - use to make abutment

possible


Example: 2-input multiplexer First cut:

VddA

Out

NAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

Out

NAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

Out

NAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

Out

S

B

S’Gnd

AS

BS’

OUT

OUT = A*S + B*S’


Sticks design of multiplexer Start with NAND gate:


NAND sticks

VDD

a

VSS

out

b


Refined one-bit Mux Design Use NAND cell as black box Arrange easy power connections Vertical connections for allow multiple bits

NAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

OutNAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

Out

select’ select

NAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

Out

VddAB

Gnd

Out


3-bit mux sticks

m2(one-bit-mux)select’ select VDD

VSSoi

ai

bi


VSSoi

ai

bi


VSSoi

ai

bi

select’ select

a2

b2

a1

b1

a0

b0

o2

o1

o0


Multiple-Bit Mux

select’ select

NAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

OutNAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

OutNAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

Out

VddA0A0

Gnd

Out0

NAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

OutNAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

OutNAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

Out

VddA1B1

Gnd

Out1


Cell Mirroring, Overlap Use mirroring, overlap to save area

VddA0B0

Gnd

NAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

OutNAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

OutNAND

A

BGnd

Vdd

Gnd

Vdd

Out

B1A1Vdd


Example: Layout / Stick Diagram Create a layout for a NAND gate given

constraints: Use minimum-size transistors Assume power supply lines “pass through” cell

from left to right at top and bottom of cell Assume inputs are on left side of cell Assume output is on right side of cell Optimize cell to minimize width Optimize cell to minimize overall area


Layout Example

A B

A

B

A

B

OUT

Vdd!Vdd!

Gnd! Gnd!

Circuit Diagram. Exterior of Cell


Example - Magic Layout Overall Layout: 52 X 16


Review - VLSI Levels of Abstraction

Specification(what the chip does, inputs/outputs)

Architecturemajor resources, connections

Register-Transferlogic blocks, FSMs, connections

Circuittransistors, parasitics, connections

Layoutmask layers, polygons

Logicgates, flip-flops, latches, connections

You are Here


Levels of Abstraction - Perspective Right now, we’re focusing on the “low level”:

Circuit level - transistors, wires, parasitics Layout level - mask objects

We’ll work upward to higher levels: Logic level - individual gates, latches, flip-flops Register- transfer level - Verilog HDL Behavior level - Specifications


The Challenge of Design Start: higher level (spec) Finish: lower level (implementation) Must meet design criteria and constraints

Design time - how long did it take to ship a product?

Performance - how fast is the clock? Cost - NRE + unit cost

CAD tools - essential in modern design


CAD Tool Survey: Layout Design Layout Editors Design Rule Checkers (DRC) Circuit Extractors Layout vs. Schematic (LVS) Comparators Automatic Layout Tools

Layout Generators ASIC: Place/Route for Standard Cells, Gate

Arrays


Layout Editors Goal: produce mask patterns for fabrication Grid type:

Absolute grid (MAX, LASI, LEdit, Mentor ICStation, other commercial tools)

Magic: lambda-based grid - easier to learn, but less powerful

Mask description: Absolute mask (one layer for each mask) Magic: symbolic masks (layers combine to

generate actual mask patterns)


Design Rule Checkers Goal: identify design rule violations Often a separate tool (built in to Magic) General approach: “scanline” algorithm Computationally intensive, especially for

large chips


Circuit Extractors Goal: extract netlist of equivalent circuit

Identify active components Identify parasitic components

CapacitorsResistors


Layout Versus Schematic (LVS) Goal: Compare layout, schematic netlists

Compare transistors, connections (ignore parasitics)

Issue error if two netlists are not equivalent Important for large designs


Automatic Layout Tools Layout Generators - produce cell from spec.

Simple: Procedural specification of layout (see book Fig. 2-33, p. 95) Complex: Netlist - places & wires individual transistors

ASIC - Place, route modules with fixed shape Standard Cells - use predefined cells as "cookie

cutters" Gate Arrays - configurable pre-manufactured gates

(only change metal masks) FPGAs - electrically configurable array of gates


Layout design and analysis tools Layout editors are interactive tools. Design rule checkers are generally batch---

identify DRC errors on the layout. Circuit extractors extract the netlist from the

layout. Connectivity verification systems (CVS)

compare extracted and original netlists.


Automatic layout Cell generators (macrocell generators) create

optimized layouts for ALUs, etc. Standard cell/sea-of-gates layout creates

layout from predesigned cells + custom routing. Sea-of-gates allows routing over the cell.


Standard cell layout

routing area

routing arearout

ing

area

routing area

lecture 4 design rules,layout and stick diagram

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