0.35um digital process for IC?

[stef_eng]

Hi!

Could someone explain what a 0.35um digital process is, when it comes to desigining ICs?

 

[ericgibbs]

Hi!

Could someone explain what a 0.35um digital process is, when it comes to desigining ICs?

hi,

Lots here, are you semi manufacturing.?

https://uk.search.yahoo.com/search?fr=ytff-yff3&p=0.35um digital process

 

[crutschow]

The 0.35µm refers to the smallest feature size that can be produced in that particular IC manufacturing process. It determines how dense the circuit can be built. The more transistors that can be put in a given chip area, the cheaper the circuit is to build. Also smaller transistors are faster since they have less capacitance. That's why the semiconductor manufacturers keep developing smaller and smaller feature sizes for IC processing. It applies to both analog and digital chips. Moore's Law (actually an observation made by Gordon Moore in 1965) is that IC circuit density doubles every 24 months. At this point they're putting 820 million transistors on a pentium chip.

 

[stef_eng]

Hi ericgibbs,
Thanks for the reply. btw, I needed the info for an IC design specification: Austria Microsystems 0.35um digital process.

 

[stef_eng]

The 0.35µm refers to the smallest feature size that can be produced in that particular IC manufacturing process. It determines how dense the circuit can be built. The more transistors that can be put in a given chip area, the cheaper the circuit is to build. Also smaller transistors are faster since they have less capacitance. That's why the semiconductor manufacturers keep developing smaller and smaller feature sizes for IC processing. It applies to both analog and digital chips. Moore's Law (actually an observation made by Gordon Moore in 1965) is that IC circuit density doubles every 24 months. At this point they're putting 820 million transistors on a pentium chip.

Hi crutschow, thanks for the reply - was very informative. I have another question - Thanks to ur explanation, I get what 0.35um refers to - I'm quite new to IC designing and the design specification requires the use of 'Austria Microsystems 0.35um digital process'. Is there a certain digital process, I need to be aware of when it comes to designing ICs?

 

[crutschow]

Is there a certain digital process, I need to be aware of when it comes to designing ICs?

Digital ICs and analog ICs have different requirements for optimizing performance. Digital ICs are mainly concerned with switching speed and power. Analog ICs are usually more concerned about noise, transistor gain, ac frequency response, etc. Thus the the IC manufacturing processes are optimized for the particular needs of the type of circuit being made.

You can build digital circuits with an analog process or vice versa but the circuit performance generally will not be optimum. For mixed signal design with both on the same chip they do the best they can to optimize both but probably emphasize the analog requirements since that's usually more critical.

 

[stef_eng]

Digital ICs and analog ICs have different requirements for optimizing performance. Digital ICs are mainly concerned with switching speed and power. Analog ICs are usually more concerned about noise, transistor gain, ac frequency response, etc. Thus the the IC manufacturing processes are optimized for the particular needs of the type of circuit being made.

You can build digital circuits with an analog process or vice versa but the circuit performance generally will not be optimum. For mixed signal design with both on the same chip they do the best they can to optimize both but probably emphasize the analog requirements since that's usually more critical.

Thank you 4 the info. Carl.