Understanding Power, Performance, and Area Tradeoffs for Analog IC Designs

Learn about three key indicators of semiconductor process technology: power, performance, and area (PPA). We will discuss the trade-offs between these indicators and how the PPA metric supports the comparison of analog capabilities across different processes. Finally, using the PPA figure of merit, it is shown that the onsemi 65 nm BCD Treo platform provides at least a 5x integral improvement on average over older 180 nm technologies.

Introduction of the PPA Figure of Merit

Using the PPA Triangle and Volume to Evaluate Process Technology

Detailed Evaluation of 180 and 65 nm BCD Processes Using PPA

Circuit Applications: Operational Amplifier and Analog Comparator

White Paper Overview

Low power consumption, high performance, and minimum silicon area are the key characteristics for defining the competitiveness of an analog circuit. For a given process node, these three variables create fundamental trade-offs during circuit design.

How can you decide which analog process to use in a new design? Or, how do you decide when it is time to port an existing design to a process with a smaller geometry? In this paper, we will introduce a key performance metric, PPA, that will provide clear metrics to help you make these critical decisions.

Download this white paper to learn how to use the PPA figure of merit and how onsemi’s Treo Platform is the foundation for developing analog products that offer superior performance, lower power consumption, and reduced silicon area.