CAD TOOLS

CAD
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use
of computer systems to assist in the creation, modification
and analysis of a design.
CAD is used to design curves and figures in twodimensional (2D) space; or curves, surfaces, and solids
in three-dimensional (3D) space.

NEED FOR CAD TOOLS

Current systems are very complex.
Design Automation Tools improve productivity.

Different tools are required in different steps.

CLASSIFICATION OF CAD TOOLS

Editors
Allows specification of the design either textually or
graphically.
Simulators
Models the response of a system to input stimuli.
Analyzers
Used at different levels to check for correctness and
compliance to rules.
Synthesis
Transformation of representation between different
abstraction levels.

CAD FUNCTIONS

Function

Comments

Free / Low Cost

Commercial

Mask Layout

VLSI and IC
design

MAGIC
XCircuit

CADENCE

CAD FUNCTIONS
Function

Comments

Free / Low Cost

Commercial

everything

SUPREM-III,
SUPREM-IV

TSUPREM4

Process Simulation
lithography

PROLITH

CAD FUNCTIONS
Function

Comments

Free / Low Cost

Commercial

2D

MINIMOS

MEDICI

1D

SimWindows

Device Simulation

CAD FUNCTIONS
Function

Comments

some of the
programs include
the macro
Circuit Simulation
modeling and
analog behavioral
extensions
Mathematical
Modeling

Matrix analysis
and computation

Free / Low Cost

Commercial

SPICE
PSPICE

ICAP

MATLAB

CAD TOOLS
Tool Name

VHDL

Espresso

SIS

File types

Description

.vhd

VHDL VHSIC (Very High

Speed Integrated Circuits)
Hardware Description
Language

.pla

Boolean logic
minimization for twolevel combinational
circuits.

.blif .eqn

Sequential Interactive
System (SIS)
Optimization and
implementation of both
2-level (.pla, espresso)
and multi-level (misII)

Tool Name

File Types

Description

Magic

.mag .cif

Interactive editor for

VLSI layouts

.sim .prm

Event-driven logic-level
simulator for MOS (both
N and P) transistor
circuits.

.cir

Simulation Program
Integrated Circuits:
General-purpose
electrical and
semiconductor circuit
simulation program

IRSIM

SPICE 3

THANK YOU