IC Layout Basics: A Practical Guide
This book teaches the basics of IC (Integrated Circuit) layout in jargon-free, plain-English, understandable to those without an EE degree.
TABLE OF CONTENTS IC Layout Basics: A Practical Guide
Chapter 1: Basic Circuit Theory
Opening Thoughts for the Reader
You should already be familiar with most of the circuitry concepts in the first few pages of this chapter, as well as the idea of integrated circuits (IC). We will present a short review as a brief, common reference.
Most of an integrated circuit's functions are achieved by using electrical current in some way steering current, switching current, or using current to develop a voltage. Much of this steering, switching and voltage creation use what are known as semiconductor materials.
Unlike a regular light switch that can only be on or off, a semiconductor switch can be on, off, or somewhere in between. This semiconductor switch is called a transistor.
In this chapter, we will build a transistor switch from semiconductor material, then use transistors to develop logic circuits.
Chip design begins with the process development team, continues through your circuit designers, and ends with you, the layout engineer.
You are integral to the successful manufacture of new chips. If you can design your layout with more knowledge, creativity and efficiency, you can save your company millions of dollars. Your chips will tend to work better than expected right off the wafer the first time. They will often be smaller than the design the next layout engineer might have drawn. You will catch and correct disastrous mistakes before production.
You can be immensely valuable to your company as a good layout engineer, particularly as the last person in the pipeline before actual production.
Conventions Used...
Copyright Christopher Saint and Judy Saint 2002 under license agreement with Books24x7
