Automated Constraint Checks Enhance Analog Design Reliability

Overview

Analog circuitry is typically very sensitive to changes of many kinds. Changes in operating conditions can mean the same design performs in a different way. Implementing an existing design in new design technology may expose all kinds of unexpected effects that weren’t present in the previous technology.

Analog designs are also highly susceptible to variations in the manufacturing process, which can manifest as unintended consequences in the design. All of these challenges can negatively impact circuit reliability and robustness in general, which can make it difficult to design circuits that will perform reliably over the expected product lifetime.

To achieve an acceptable level of circuit performance and reliability, analog integrated circuit (IC) designers must comply with multiple design constraints. The long-standing practice of ensuring compliance through visual layout inspection has become too challenging and time consuming for today’s complex designs.

In this white paper by Mentor, a Siemens Business, learn more about how the use of automated verification of reliability-related design constraints during the design phase of analog and mixed-signal ICs is increasingly important when developing designs for a growing (and demanding) market.