Sizing the Design - Selecting the Array
Last Edit July 22, 2001
Array architecture
The base arrays for the various series are similar in their design concept
in that the core of most arrays is composed of an array or matrix of logic
or basic cells organized in a row-column configuration. Arrays that contain
memory place the RAM blocks in the core area, with the rest of the core
designated for internal logic cells. Phase-Lock loop arrays, the PLL arrays,
have PLL locations that straddle both core and interface areas. Interface
(I/O) cells are placed around the perimeter of the array interspersed
with power and ground.
There are different base arrays for different power supply configurations.
The base array for a single +5V supply will be different from that for
a mixed-mode +5V/-5.2V dual supply. A generic die plot for the Q20080
array is shown in Figure 3-1 and one for the BiCMOS Q24091 is shown in
Figure 3-2, with the interconnect pattern in Figure 3-3.
Figure 3-1 Q20080 Die Plot
Figure 3-2 Q24140 Die Plot
Figure 3-3 BiCMOS Macro Interconnect Pattern
Macro configurations
Macros are individually configured by interconnecting the components
within a cell with one layer of metal to form the selected macro function.
Macros can occupy a cell, a partial cell (usually 0.5 cell), or require
several cells. The internal interconnect for a simple macro is generally
confined to one layer of metal. The particular layer will depend on the
array series.
Cell Interconnect
The process of interconnecting macros is called routing. For channelled
architec tures, routing is performed following specific routing tracks.
The interconnect is on the first and second layers of metal in a two layer
metalization array. Horizontal and vertical tracks are assigned to specific
metal layers.
For an array with three layers of metal, the second and third layers
will be used for inter-macro routing and the first layer for intra-macro
routing. In practice, the hard definition of which layer of metalization
is restricted to which operation can be blurred.
Channelless architecture
Channelless architectures have been developed to avoid some of the limitations
im posed by restricted number of routing tracks.
The Q24000 sea-of-gates and Q20000 sea-of-cells (channelless) architectures
use three layers of metal. Macros are interconnected on one level and
interconnect between macros occurs on the other two, the specific layers
being array and series dependent.
For the Q20000 Series arrays, the internal macro connects (intracon-nects)
are on second and third metal with macro and I/O interconnects on the
first layer. Routing on all three layers is possible and four layers of
metal is a future possibility.
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