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Design Rules

This document discusses VLSI design rules. It begins by explaining that stick diagrams are used to capture layer information and are interpreted by CAD packages. It then states that design rules allow the translation of circuits into actual silicon geometry and act as an interface between circuit designers and fabrication engineers. The document goes on to explain that lambda-based design rules set a minimum feature size of 2 lambda and are used to prevent issues like shorting and contact slips. It notes that manufacturing processes have limitations that require design rules to specific geometry for reasonable chip yields. Finally, it discusses problems that can occur during manufacturing like resist and material variations, and introduces the concept of "meta design rules" to generate robust design rules.

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Raja Vidya
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45 views

Design Rules

This document discusses VLSI design rules. It begins by explaining that stick diagrams are used to capture layer information and are interpreted by CAD packages. It then states that design rules allow the translation of circuits into actual silicon geometry and act as an interface between circuit designers and fabrication engineers. The document goes on to explain that lambda-based design rules set a minimum feature size of 2 lambda and are used to prevent issues like shorting and contact slips. It notes that manufacturing processes have limitations that require design rules to specific geometry for reasonable chip yields. Finally, it discusses problems that can occur during manufacturing like resist and material variations, and introduces the concept of "meta design rules" to generate robust design rules.

Uploaded by

Raja Vidya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Design Rules

Stick Diagrams
• VLSI design aims to translate circuit concepts
onto silicon
• stick diagrams are a means of capturing
topography and layer information - simple
diagrams
• Stick diagrams convey layer information through
colour codes (or monochrome encoding
• Used by CAD packages, including Microwind
Design Rules
• Allow translation of circuits (usually in
stick diagram or symbolic form) into actual
geometry in silicon
• Interface between circuit designer and
fabrication engineer
• Compromise
– designer - tighter, smaller
– fabricator - controllable, reproducable
Lambda Based Design Rules
• Design rules based on single parameter, λ
• Simple for the designer
• Wide acceptance
• Provide feature size independent way of setting out mask
• If design rules are obeyed, masks will produce working
circuits
• Minimum feature size is defined as 2 λ
• Used to preserve topological features on a chip
• Prevents shorting, opens, contacts from slipping out of
area to be contacted
Design Rules - The Reality
• Manufacturing processes have inherent
limitations in accuracy and repeatability
• Design rules specify geometry of masks
that provide reasonable yield
• Design rules are determined by experience
Problems - Manufacturing
• Photoresist shrinking / tearing
• Variations in material deposition
• Variations in temperature
• Variations in oxide thickness
• Impurities
• Variations between lots
• Variations across the wafer
Problems - Manufacturing
• Variations in threshold voltage
– oxide thickness
– ion implantation
– poly variations
• Diffusion - changes in doping (variation in R, C)
• Poly, metal variations in height and width -> variation in
R, C
• Shorts and opens
• Via may not be cut all the way through
• Undersize via has too much resistance
• Oversize via may short
Meta Design Rules
• Basic reasons for design rules
• Rules that generate design rules
• Under worst case misalignment and
maximum edge movement of any feature,
no serious performance degradation should
occur
Advantages of Generalised
Design Rules
• Ease of learning because they are scalable,
portable, durable
• Longlevity of designs that are simple,
abstract and minimal clutter
• Increased designer efficiency
• Automatic translation to final layout
References
• Pucknell and Eshraghian pages 62 - 92
• Fabricius pages76 – 82
• Any VLSI / ULSI Design Book

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