Simulation
Last Edit July 22, 2001
Case Study: Simulation
Introduction
The following case study (the by-now-familiar 32-bit register) provides
a circuit, complete with thermal diodes and a parametric gate tree. The
simulation output files are formatted according to one vendor's rules
and requirements. The files include the wafer sort set, at-speed, 16 AC
tests (propagation path tests only) and a parametric vector set. The files
pass all tests and would pass design acceptance. They are only for the
maximum (military) worst-case conditions. A second set of files would
be required that were produced using the minimum timing library and annotation
files.
The sample step is 100 ns for all files except the at-speed file. That
file must be run at the specified maximum operating frequency. Both sampled
and print on change files are included per the vendor requirements.
The workstation used was a Mentor EWS on Apollo using the 1991 Q20000
Bipolar library. Identical files are produced when the design is done
using a Valid or Dazix SUN system since the files are always reformatted.
The formatter accepts the normal simulator output file as input and converts
it into the format shown.
Fault coverage for the vector set (parametric and wafer sort taken together)
is 100%. The vectors were developed using the Minimal Test Sequence methodology.
The Schematic
The circuit used to demonstrate simulation files is a 32-bit register
created from the AMCC Q20000 Series macro library and was shown in the
case study appendix to Chapter 3. The schematic was created using AMCC
schematic rules. The overriding rule is human-readability.
Page One
Page one includes a chip macro, a pseudo-macro designed to allow the
designer to communicate array-specific parameters to the design software.
In this instance, the chip macro informs the software that this is a Q20080
array, using ECL interface macros in a standard -5.2V single power supply
configuration. User-added parameters identify the circuit and specify
that it is a military circuit. This will determine which annotation files
are generated.
The library revision shows (010) - October 1990, the most current at
the time of the schematic capture. The library was run under the (111)
- November 1991 release. Unseen information carried by the chip macro
includes number of I/O cells, number of internal cells, overhead current,
switching group size and I/O macro types. Dozens of parameters are carried
by the chip macro. This approach to array and circuit identification is
vendor-specific.
Also shown as part of page one are a number of added power and ground
macros. For TTL or TTL/ECL mixed circuits, ITPWR is a macro that will
be used at placement to identify a pad that is to be tied to the +5V bus.
ITGND is a macro that will be used at placement to identify a pad that
is to be tied to the 0V bus. For the ECL circuits, IEVCC is used to supply
either added ground (standard reference circuits) or added power (+5V
reference circuits).
These macros are named since they will be placed. User-defined or instance
names are used to create a placement file. They also carry a tag "AAA",
which is a switching-group assignment.
The switching-group parameter is vendor-specific. It is used by AMCC
software to tie simultaneously switching outputs to the added power and
grounds that were added to handle them. This allows checking software
to flag possible violations based on the rules issued for the specific
array.
Also on page one, note the static driver.
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