IC design automation from circuit level optimization to retargetable layout

This paper describes a new analog and mixed-signal IC design automation environment including both multilevel optimization and layout generation based on retargeting methodologies. The circuit/system level optimization is achieved by applying a simulated annealing technique together with heuristic based rules, for constraint generation, to parametrized circuit descriptions. The layout generation is attained by automatically applying the sized schematic to reusable physical layouts of analog and mixed-signal blocks, built based on high-functionality pCells which are fully independent from technologies. The design automation methodology is illustrated with practical examples