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Automatic synthesis of analog layout : a survey
A review of recent research in the automatic synthesis of physical geometry for analog integrated circuits is presented. On introduction, an explanation of the difficulties involved in analog layout as opposed to digital layout is covered. Review of the literature then follows. Emphasis is placed on the exposition of general methods for addressing problems specific to analog layout, with the details of specific systems only being given when they surve to illustrate these methods well. The conclusion discusses problems remaining and offers a prediction as to how technology will evolve to solve them. It is argued that although progress has been and will continue to be made in the automation of analog IC layout, due to fundamental differences in the nature of analog IC design as opposed to digital design, it should not be expected that the level of automation of the former will reach that of the latter any time soon
Innovative teaching of IC design and manufacture using the Superchip platform
In this paper we describe how an intelligent chip architecture has allowed a large cohort of undergraduate students to be given effective practical insight into IC design by designing and manufacturing their own ICs. To achieve this, an efficient chip architecture, the âSuperchipâ, has been developed, which allows multiple student designs to be fabricated on a single IC, and encapsulated in a standard package without excessive cost in terms of time or resources. We demonstrate how the practical process has been tightly coupled with theoretical aspects of the degree course and how transferable skills are incorporated into the design exercise. Furthermore, the students are introduced at an early stage to the key concepts of team working, exposure to real deadlines and collaborative report writing. This paper provides details of the teaching rationale, design exercise overview, design process, chip architecture and test regime
A Survey on Retrieval of Mathematical Knowledge
We present a short survey of the literature on indexing and retrieval of
mathematical knowledge, with pointers to 72 papers and tentative taxonomies of
both retrieval problems and recurring techniques.Comment: CICM 2015, 20 page
Smart-Pixel Cellular Neural Networks in Analog Current-Mode CMOS Technology
This paper presents a systematic approach to design CMOS chips with concurrent picture acquisition and processing capabilities. These chips consist of regular arrangements of elementary units, called smart pixels. Light detection is made with vertical CMOS-BJTâs connected in a Darlington structure. Pixel smartness is achieved by exploiting the Cellular Neural Network paradigm [1], [2], incorporating at each pixel location an analog computing cell which interacts with those of nearby pixels. We propose a current-mode implementation technique and give measurements from two 16 x 16 prototypes in a single-poly double-metal CMOS n-well 1.6-”m technology. In addition to the sensory and processing circuitry, both chips incorporate light-adaptation circuitry for automatic contrast adjustment. They obtain smart-pixel densities up to 89 units/mm2, with a power consumption down to 105 ”W/unit and image processing times below 2 ”s
Synthesis and characterization of attosecond light vortices in the extreme ultraviolet
Infrared and visible light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) are
currently thoroughly studied for their extremely broad applicative prospects,
among which are quantum information, micromachining and diagnostic tools. Here
we extend these prospects, presenting a comprehensive study for the synthesis
and full characterization of optical vortices carrying OAM in the extreme
ultraviolet (XUV) domain. We confirm the upconversion rules of a femtosecond
infrared helically phased beam into its high-order harmonics, showing that each
harmonic order carries the total number of OAM units absorbed in the process up
to very high orders (57). This allows us to synthesize and characterize
helically shaped XUV trains of attosecond pulses. To demonstrate a typical use
of these new XUV light beams, we show our ability to generate and control,
through photoionization, attosecond electron beams carrying OAM. These
breakthroughs pave the route for the study of a series of fundamental phenomena
and the development of new ultrafast diagnosis tools using either photonic or
electronic vortices
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