This book is the first in aseries on novellow power design architectures, methods and design practices. It results from of a large European project started in 1997, whose goal is to promote the further development and the faster and wider industrial use of advanced design methods for reducing the power consumption of electronic systems. Low power design became crucial with the wide spread of portable information and cornrnunication terminals, where a small battery has to last for a long period. High performance electronics, in addition, suffers from a permanent increase of the dissipated power per square millimetre of silicon, due to the increasing eIock-rates, which causes cooling and reliability problems or otherwise limits the performance. The European Union's Information Technologies Programme 'Esprit' did there fore launch a 'Pilot action for Low Power Design', wh ich eventually grew to 19 R&D projects and one coordination project, with an overall budget of 14 million Euro. It is meanwhile known as European Low Power Initiative for Electronic System Design (ESD-LPD) and will be completed by the end of 2001. It involves 30 major Euro pean companies and 20 well-known institutes. The R&D projects aims to develop or demonstrate new design methods for power reduction, while the coordination project takes care that the methods, experiences and results are properly documented and pub licised."

This book addresses the issue of Machine Learning (ML) attacks on Integrated Circuits through Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs). It provides the mathematical proofs of the vulnerability of various PUF families, including Arbiter, XOR Arbiter, ring-oscillator, and bistable ring PUFs, to ML attacks. To achieve this goal, it develops a generic framework for the assessment of these PUFs based on two main approaches. First, with regard to the inherent physical characteristics, it establishes fit-for-purpose mathematical representations of the PUFs mentioned above, which adequately reflect the physical behavior of these primitives. To this end, notions and formalizations that are already familiar to the ML theory world are reintroduced in order to give a better understanding of why, how, and to what extent ML attacks against PUFs can be feasible in practice. Second, the book explores polynomial time ML algorithms, which can learn the PUFs under the appropriate representation. More importantly, in contrast to previous ML approaches, the framework presented here ensures not only the accuracy of the model mimicking the behavior of the PUF, but also the delivery of such a model. Besides off-the-shelf ML algorithms, the book applies a set of algorithms hailing from the field of property testing, which can help to evaluate the security of PUFs. They serve as a "toolbox", from which PUF designers and manufacturers can choose the indicators most relevant for their requirements. Last but not least, on the basis of learning theory concepts, the book explicitly states that the PUF families cannot be considered as an ultimate solution to the problem of insecure ICs. As such, it provides essential insights into both academic research on and the design and manufacturing of PUFs.

Advanced ASIC Chip Synthesis: Using SynopsysA(R) Design CompilerA(R) Physical CompilerA(R) and PrimeTimeA(R), Second Edition describes the advanced concepts and techniques used towards ASIC chip synthesis, physical synthesis, formal verification and static timing analysis, using the Synopsys suite of tools. In addition, the entire ASIC design flow methodology targeted for VDSM (Very-Deep-Sub-Micron) technologies is covered in detail. The emphasis of this book is on real-time application of Synopsys tools, used to combat various problems seen at VDSM geometries. Readers will be exposed to an effective design methodology for handling complex, sub-micron ASIC designs. Significance is placed on HDL coding styles, synthesis and optimization, dynamic simulation, formal verification, DFT scan insertion, links to layout, physical synthesis, and static timing analysis. At each step, problems related to each phase of the design flow are identified, with solutions and work-around described in detail. In addition, crucial issues related to layout, which includes clock tree synthesis and back-end integration (links to layout) are also discussed at length. Furthermore, the book contains in-depth discussions on the basis of Synopsys technology libraries and HDL coding styles, targeted towards optimal synthesis solution. Target audiences for this book are practicing ASIC design engineers and masters level students undertaking advanced VLSI courses on ASIC chip design and DFT techniques.

This book serves as a hands-on guide to RF tunable devices, circuits and subsystems. An innovative of modeling for tunable devices and networks is described, along with a new tuning algorithm, adaptive matching network control approach, and novel filter frequency automatic control loop. The author provides readers with the necessary background and methods for designing and developing tunable RF networks/circuits and tunable RF font-ends, with an emphasis on applications to cellular communications.

This book introduces several novel approaches to pave the way for the next generation of integrated circuits, which can be successfully and reliably integrated, even in safety-critical applications. The authors describe new measures to address the rising challenges in the field of design for testability, debug, and reliability, as strictly required for state-of-the-art circuit designs. In particular, this book combines formal techniques, such as the Satisfiability (SAT) problem and the Bounded Model Checking (BMC), to address the arising challenges concerning the increase in test data volume, as well as test application time and the required reliability. All methods are discussed in detail and evaluated extensively, while considering industry-relevant benchmark candidates. All measures have been integrated into a common framework, which implements standardized software/hardware interfaces.

The size of technically producible integrated circuits increases continuously, but the ability to design and verify these circuits does not keep up. Therefore today 's design flow has to be improved. Using a visionary approach, this book analyzes the current design methodology and verification methodology, a number of deficiencies are identified and solutions suggested. Improvements in the methodology as well as in the underlying algorithms are proposed.

After long years of work that have seen little industrial application, high-level synthesis is finally on the verge of becoming a practical tool. The state of high-level synthesis today is similar to the state of logic synthesis ten years ago. At present, logic-synthesis tools are widely used in digital system design. In the future, high-level synthesis will play a key role in mastering design complexity and in truly exploiting the potential of ASIes and PLDs, which demand extremely short design cycles. Work on high-level synthesis began over twenty years ago. Since substantial progress has been made in understanding the basic then, problems involved, although no single universally-accepted theoretical framework has yet emerged. There is a growing number of publications devoted to high-level synthesis, specialized workshops are held regularly, and tutorials on the topic are commonly held at major conferences. This book gives an extensive survey of the research and development in high-level synthesis. In Part I, a short tutorial explains the basic concepts used in high-level synthesis, and follows an example design throughout the synthesis process. In Part II, current high-level synthesis systems are surveyed.

Regular Fabrics in Deep Sub-Micron Integrated-Circuit Design discusses new approaches to better timing-closure and manufacturability of DSM Integrated Circuits. The key idea presented is the use of regular circuit and interconnect structures such that area/delay can be predicted with high accuracy. The co-design of structures and algorithms allows great opportunities for achieving better final results, thus closing the gap between IC and CAD designers. The regularities also provide simpler and possibly better manufacturability.
In this book we present not only algorithms for solving particular sub-problems but also systematic ways of organizing different algorithms in a flow to solve the design problem as a whole. A timing-driven chip design flow is developed based on the new structures and their design algorithms, which produces faster chips in a shorter time.

This book describes the design of fully digital multistandard transmitter front-ends which can directly drive one or more switching power amplifiers, thus eliminating all other analog components. After reviewing different architectures, the authors focus on polar architectures using pulse width modulation (PWM), which are entirely based on unclocked delay lines and other continuous-time digital hardware. As a result, readers are enabled to shift accuracy concerns from the voltage domain to the time domain, to coincide with submicron CMOS technology scaling. The authors present different architectural options and compare them, based on their effect on the signal and spectrum quality. Next, a high-level theoretical analysis of two different PWM-based architectures - baseband PWM and RF PWM - is made. On the circuit level, traditional digital components and design techniques are revisited from the point of view of continuous-time digital circuits. Important design criteria are identified and different solutions are presented, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, two chips designed in nanometer CMOS technologies are described, along with measurement results for validation.

Halbleiter-Leistungsbauelemente sind das Kernstuck der Leistungselektronik. Sie bestimmen die Leistungsfahigkeit und machen neuartige und verlustarme Schaltungen erst moeglich. In dem Band wird neben den Halbleiter-Leistungsbauelementen selbst auch die Aufbau- und Verbindungstechnik behandelt: von den physikalischen Grundlagen und der Herstellungstechnologie uber einzelne Bauelemente bis zu thermomechanischen Problemen, Zerstoerungsmechanismen und Stoerungseffekten. Die 2., uberarbeitete Auflage berucksichtigt technische Neuerungen und Entwicklungen.

This book describes automatic methods for the design of droplet microfluidic networks. The authors discuss simulation and design methods which support the design process of droplet microfluidics in general, as well as design methods for a dedicated droplet routing mechanism, namely passive droplet routing. The methods discussed allow for simulating a microfluidic design on a high-abstraction level, which facilitates early validation of whether a design works as intended, automatically dimensioning a microfluidic design, so that constraints like flow conditions are satisfied, and automatically generating meander designs for the respective needs and fabrication settings. Dedicated methods for passive droplet routing are discussed and allow for designing application-specific architectures for a given set of experiments, as well as generating droplet sequences realizing the respective experiments. Together, these methods provide a comprehensive "toolbox" for designers working on droplet microfluidic networks in general and an integrated design flow for the passive droplet routing mechanism in particular. Provides both a comprehensive "toolbox" for designers working on droplet microfluidic networks in general and an integrated design flow for the passive droplet routing mechanism in particular; Describes for the first time CAD methods for droplet microfluidic networks, along with the first integrated design process; Includes open source implementations, in order to reach the largest possible user group within the domain of microfluidics.

This comprehensive book deals with feedback and feedback amplifiers, presenting original material on the topic of feedback circuits. After describing the fundamental properties of feedback, the book illustrates techniques of analysis for greater insight into feedback amplifiers and design strategies to optimise their performance.

This book presents state-of-the-art techniques for radiation hardened high-resolution Time-to-Digital converters and low noise frequency synthesizers. Throughout the book, advanced degradation mechanisms and error sources are discussed and several ways to prevent such errors are presented. An overview of the prerequisite physics of nuclear interactions is given that has been compiled in an easy to understand chapter. The book is structured in a way that different hardening techniques and solutions are supported by theory and experimental data with their various tradeoffs. Based on leading-edge research, conducted in collaboration between KU Leuven and CERN, the European Center for Nuclear Research Describes in detail advanced techniques to harden circuits against ionizing radiation Provides a practical way to learn and understand radiation effects in time-based circuits Includes an introduction to the underlying physics, circuit design, and advanced techniques accompanied with experimental data

This book presents a self-contained introduction to the physics of computing, by addressing the fundamental underlying principles that involve the act of computing, regardless of the actual machine that is used to compute. Questions like "what is the minimum energy required to perform a computation?", "what is the ultimate computational speed that a computer can achieve?" or "how long can a memory last", are addressed here, starting from basic physics principles. The book is intended for physicists, engineers, and computer scientists, and it is designed for self-study by researchers who want to enter the field or as the main text for a one semester course at advanced undergraduate or graduate level. The theoretical concepts presented in this book are systematically developed from the very beginning, which only requires basic knowledge in physics and mathematics.

This book introduces readers to various threats faced during design and fabrication by today's integrated circuits (ICs) and systems. The authors discuss key issues, including illegal manufacturing of ICs or "IC Overproduction," insertion of malicious circuits, referred as "Hardware Trojans", which cause in-field chip/system malfunction, and reverse engineering and piracy of hardware intellectual property (IP). The authors provide a timely discussion of these threats, along with techniques for IC protection based on hardware obfuscation, which makes reverse-engineering an IC design infeasible for adversaries and untrusted parties with any reasonable amount of resources. This exhaustive study includes a review of the hardware obfuscation methods developed at each level of abstraction (RTL, gate, and layout) for conventional IC manufacturing, new forms of obfuscation for emerging integration strategies (split manufacturing, 2.5D ICs, and 3D ICs), and on-chip infrastructure needed for secure exchange of obfuscation keys- arguably the most critical element of hardware obfuscation.

Timing research in high performance VLSI systems has advanced at a steady pace over the last few years. Tools, however, especially theoretical mechanisms, lag behind. Much of the present timing research relies heavily on timing diagrams, which although intuitive, are inadequate for analysis of large designs with many parameters. Further, timing diagrams offer only approximations, not exact solutions to many timing problems and provide little insight in the cases where temporal properties of a design interact intricately with the design's logical functionalities. Timed Boolean Functions presents a methodology for timing research which facilitates analysis and design of circuits and systems in a unified temporal and logical domain. The goal of the book is to present the central idea of representing logical and timing information in a common structure, TBFs, and to present a canonical form suitable for efficient manipulation. This methodology is then applied to practical applications to provide intuition and insight into the subject so that these general methods can be adapted to specific engineering problems and also to further the research necessary to enhance the understanding of the field. Timed Boolean Functions is written for professionals involved in timing research and digital designers who want to enhance their understanding of the timing aspects of high speed circuits. The prerequisites are a common background in logic design, computer algorithms, combinatorial optimization and a certain degree of mathematical sophistication.

This book covers the theoretical background, experimental methods and implementation details to engineer for communication and imaging application, terahertz devices using metamaterials, in mainstream semiconductor foundry processes. This book will provide engineers and physicists an authoritative reference to construct such devices with minimal background. The authors describe the design and construction of electromagnetic (EM) devices for terahertz frequencies (108-1010 cycles/sec) using artificial materials that are a fraction of the wavelength of the incident EM wave, resulting in an effective electric and magnetic properties (permittivity and permeability) that are unavailable in natural materials.

too vast, too complex, too grand ... for description. John Wesley Powell-1870 (discovering the Grand Canyon) VHDL is a big world. A beginner can be easily disappointed by the generality of this language. This generality is explained by the large number of domains covered - from specifications to logical simulation or synthesis. To the very beginner, VHDL appears as a "kit". He is quickly aware that his problem may be solved with VHDL, but does not know how. He does not even know how to start. In this state of mind, all the constraints that can be set to his modeling job, by using a subset of the language or a given design methodology, may be seen as a life preserver. The success of the introduction of VHDL in a company depends on solutions to many questions that should be answered months before the first line of code is written: * Why choose VHDL? * Which VHDL tools should be chosen? * Which modeling methodology should be adopted? * How should the VHDL environment be customized? * What are the tricks? Where are the traps? * What are the differences between VHDL and other competing HDLs? Answers to these questions are organized according to different concerns: buying the tools, organizing the environment, and designing. Decisions taken in each of these areas may have many consequences on the way to the acceptance and efficiently use of VHDL in a company.

Digital photography, MP3, digital video, etc. make extensive use of NAND-based Flash cards as storage media. To realize how much NAND Flash memories pervade every aspect of our life, just imagine how our recent habits would change if the NAND memories suddenly disappeared. To take a picture it would be necessary to find a film (as well as a traditional camera...), disks or even magnetic tapes would be used to record a video or to listen a song, and a cellular phone would return to be a simple mean of communication rather than a multimedia console. The development of NAND Flash memories will not be set down on the mere evolution of personal entertainment systems since a new killer application can trigger a further success: the replacement of Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) with Solid State Drives (SSDs). SSD is made up by a microcontroller and several NANDs. As NAND is the technology driver for IC circuits, Flash designers and technologists have to deal with a lot of challenges. Therefore, SSD (system) developers must understand Flash technology in order to exploit its benefits and countermeasure its weaknesses. Inside NAND Flash Memories is a comprehensive guide of the NAND world: from circuits design (analog and digital) to Flash reliability (including radiation effects), from testing issues to high-performance (DDR) interface, from error correction codes to NAND applications like Flash cards and SSDs.

The simplest method of transferring data through the inputs or outputs of a silicon chip is to directly connect each bit of the datapath from one chip to the next chip. Once upon a time this was an acceptable approach. However, one aspect (and perhaps the only aspect) of chip design which has not changed during the career of the authors is Moore's Law, which has dictated substantial increases in the number of circuits that can be manufactured on a chip. The pin densities of chip packaging technologies have not increased at the same pace as has silicon density, and this has led to a prevalence of High Speed Serdes (HSS) devices as an inherent part of almost any chip design. HSS devices are the dominant form of input/output for many (if not most) high-integration chips, moving serial data between chips at speeds up to 10 Gbps and beyond. Chip designers with a background in digital logic design tend to view HSS devices as simply complex digital input/output cells. This view ignores the complexity associated with serially moving billions of bits of data per second. At these data rates, the assumptions associated with digital signals break down and analog factors demand consideration. The chip designer who oversimplifies the problem does so at his or her own peril.

This book focuses on the latest research and developments in photovoltaic (PV) power plants, and provides extensive coverage of fundamental theories, current research and developmental activities, and new approaches intended to overcome a number of critical limitations in today's grid integration technologies. The design and implementation process for large-scale solar PV power plants is introduced. The content provided will actively support the development of future renewable power plants and smart grid applications. The book will be of interest to researchers, professionals and graduate students in electrical and electronics fields seeking to understand the related technologies involved in PV power plants.

Traditionally, Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools have been used to create the nominal design of an integrated circuit (IC), such that the circuit nominal response meets the desired performance specifications. In reality, however, due to the disturbances ofthe IC manufacturing process, the actual performancesof the mass produced chips are different than those for the nominal design. Even if the manufacturing process were tightly controlled, so that there were little variations across the chips manufactured, the environmentalchanges (e. g. those oftemperature, supply voltages, etc. ) would alsomakethe circuit performances vary during the circuit life span. Process-related performance variations may lead to low manufacturing yield, and unacceptable product quality. For these reasons, statistical circuit design techniques are required to design the circuit parameters, taking the statistical process variations into account. This book deals with some theoretical and practical aspects of IC statistical design, and emphasizes how they differ from those for discrete circuits. It de scribes a spectrum of different statistical design problems, such as parametric yield optimization, generalized on-target design, variability minimization, per formance tunning, and worst-case design. The main emphasis of the presen tation is placed on the principles and practical solutions for performance vari ability minimization. It is hoped that the book may serve as an introductory reference material for various groups of IC designers, and the methodologies described will help them enhance the circuit quality and manufacturability. The book containsseven chapters."

In recent years the mathematical modeling of charge transport in semi conductors has become a thriving area in applied mathematics. The drift diffusion equations, which constitute the most popular model for the simula tion of the electrical behavior of semiconductor devices, are by now mathe matically quite well understood. As a consequence numerical methods have been developed, which allow for reasonably efficient computer simulations in many cases of practical relevance. Nowadays, research on the drift diffu sion model is of a highly specialized nature. It concentrates on the explora tion of possibly more efficient discretization methods (e.g. mixed finite elements, streamline diffusion), on the improvement of the performance of nonlinear iteration and linear equation solvers, and on three dimensional applications. The ongoing miniaturization of semiconductor devices has prompted a shift of the focus of the modeling research lately, since the drift diffusion model does not account well for charge transport in ultra integrated devices. Extensions of the drift diffusion model (so called hydrodynamic models) are under investigation for the modeling of hot electron effects in submicron MOS-transistors, and supercomputer technology has made it possible to employ kinetic models (semiclassical Boltzmann-Poisson and Wigner Poisson equations) for the simulation of certain highly integrated devices."

This book shows readers to avoid common mistakes in circuit design, and presents classic circuit concepts and design approaches from the transistor to the system levels. The discussion is geared to be accessible and optimized for practical designers who want to learn to create circuits without simulations. Topic by topic, the author guides designers to learn the classic analog design skills by understanding the basic electronics principles correctly, and further prepares them to feel confident in designing high-performance, state-of-the art CMOS analog systems. This book combines and presents all in-depth necessary information to perform various design tasks so that readers can grasp essential material, without reading through the entire book. This top-down approach helps readers to build practical design expertise quickly, starting from their understanding of electronics fundamentals.