Using Mentor Graphics

Design Kit
Based on
KIT NAME

Table of Contents
Table of Contents . 2
Using the Design Kit .... 3
Software Requirements .. 3
Prerequisites ... 4
Design Kit Contents .....
4
Design Kit Specification ..... 5
Creating a Project .. 7
Creating a Library .. 12
Creating a Schematic Cell View....13
Simulating Schematic.... 26
Creating a Layout Cell View. 33
Verification of Layout. 39

Using the Design Kit

The Design Kit is designed to provide an introduction to the analog design flow using the
Mentor Graphics Custom IC Design products, which include ICStudio, Design Architect-IC
and the ICgraph Suite of tools. It includes all the necessary items to guide you through the
process of creating a schematic, setting up a testbench, simulating a design and laying out
that design.
With the lessons that follow you will also become familiar with the analog design flow into
the EldoTM simulation product using the ICNet netlister. The Eldo simulator offers numerous
simulation and modeling options for SPICE- level simulations. Its unique "divide and
conquer" partitioning scheme allows use of different algorithms on differing portions of a
design, yielding high-accuracy in combination with high performance.
ICStudio manages the flow. It calls the Front End and Back End tools. The tools load the
userware of this kit. The userware is designed in a way that enables you to use the tools
efficiently. The dialog boxes give you the option to enter the device properties in different
combinations. For example, you can enter two parameters of (R, W and L) of a resistor,
and the dialog box will calculate for you the third value. In addition you can check the
entered and calculated values for each device to avoid out of range values.

Software Requirements
1. Design Architect IC v2005.1_1.1 or greater. (To check the version, enter the da_ic
-version command.)
2. Eldo version v6.5_1.1 or greater. (To check the version, enter the $anacad/bin/eldo
-rel command.)
3. ICgraph v2005.1_1.1 or greater. (To check the version, enter the ic -version
command.)
4. Calibre.

Prerequisites
1. You must have MGC_HOME pointing to a valid installed Mentor Graphics Flow 2005.1
tree or a more recent release
2. You must have the Anacad software installed on your network and accessible via
$anacad.

Design Kit Contents

Go into the installed design kit directory then list it by typing ls.
The following sub-directories will be listed.
docs - This directory is where the User Guide and the FSA check list of the Kit exist.
qual_doc- This directory is where the QA sheet of the Kit exists.
models - This directory is where the Eldo models exist.
process - This directory contains the design kits process definition files.
rule_deck - This directory contains foundry Calibre rule files.
symbols - This directory contains all the kit symbols.
userware - This directory contains the DA-IC and IC Station userware.

<insert spec.htm here>

Creating a Project
Step 1 To invoke ICStudio do the following:
Open ICStudio by typing the command icstudio &
The ICStudio interface will be invoked and appear on the screen

Menu Bar
and Icons
Area

Cells Area

Libraries Area

Views Area

Transcript Log Area

Step 2 To create a project click on File > New > Project from the menu bar. The New
Project setup wizard will open to help you in creating the new project. Press Next
to proceed with the wizard.

Step 3 Enter the project name and browse for the project location and then press Next.

Step 4 Press on the Open Location Map Editor button to set your location map.

Step 5 Select Edit Menu followed by Add MGC Design Kit. This will add a row with a
library name MGC_DESIGN_KIT. Browse for the kit installation directory in the
location area.

Step 6 To add the standard libraries, select Edit Menu, and then select Add Standard
MGC Libraries.

Step 7 After that press OK. This will return you back to the main wizard. Press Next to
proceed.

Step 8 This will move you on to the Technology Settings. Press Open Setting Editor to
set the technology settings.

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Step 9 Browse for the paths of the Process file, DRC, LVS, SDL and PEX rules files.
Step 10 Click on Miscellaneous tab. Write $MGC_DESIGN_KIT/userware in the
AMPLE_PATH field.

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Step 11 Press OK to return back to the main wizard. A summary of all the previous steps
will then be shown.

Step 12 Press Finish to finalize the creation of new project. This is how the ICStudio
interface will look like after creating the new project.

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Creating a Library
Step 1 To create a library click on File > New > Library from the menu bar. A window will
pop-up asking you for the library name.

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Creating a Schematic Cell View

Step 1 To create a schematic cell click on File > New > View from the menu bar. A
window will pop-up asking for the cell name, and view type. Let the cell name be
inverter and choose Schematic as view type, the view name will be named
automatically Schematic.

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Step 2 By Pressing Finish this will open the Design-Architect IC for you.
Palette
Icon & Menu
bar
Pull Down
Menu

Left Icon
Palette

Workspace

The graphic interface is divided into four main sections a menu bar, a work space, and a
palette.
The menu bar and palette change to reflect the design task you select laying out a
schematic, setting up a testbench, or simulating a design. [As you are working with your
design you will notice that the gray bar below the menu (the Info bar) contains information
that changes dynamically as you go about your tasks.] The workspace provides a snap to
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grid for manipulating primitive-level components or higher level symbols.

Function key shortcuts

Function key shortcuts provide quick one- or two-button access to common tasks like
Copy, Paste, Select All, Unselect All. The function keys work in conjunction with the Shift,
Control and Alt keys to provide up to four separate actions per key. To display function key
shortcuts select Setup > Session and select Show Softkey Area.

Strokes with middle mouse button

Design ArchitectIC provides a number of shortcuts to common actions by utilizing the
middle mouse button. While holding down the middle mouse button you can make simple,
alphabet-like strokes in the workspace to quickly copy, move, zoom in or out, view an area
or view all, delete or undo, unselect all and flip horizontally... to name just a few. To display
the Quick Help on Strokes dialog box draw ? with the middle mouse button.

Hot keys
Hot keys also provide shortcuts to a lot of functions. To get the complete list of hot key
select Setup> Hotkeys > Report.

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Creating a Schematic
In this section you will become familiar with placing primitive analog devices for a inverter.
Youll learn how to:
place primitives on the schematic
select and manipulate devices
customizing hotkeys for placing devices
route devices
edit device parameter values
name instances
check and save the schematic
create upper hierarchical symbols
create test bench
simulate using Eldo
view results
Primitive devices are selected from the design kit device library shipped with Design
Architect-IC.

Creating an Inverter
Placing Devices
Step 1 From the left icon palette press on Add Device icon. The Design Kit Devices
dialog box containing the entire device list for this process will pop-up. You can
also press key a to call the same dialog box. Below is a typical form.

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Step 2 Select the NMOS_DEVICE_MODEL from the Design Kit Devices dialog list box
to add an analog NMOS transistor. Select the NMOS_DEVICE_MODEL, press
OK. Adjust any properties in the Add Instance form that comes up (sample
below), then click either Apply (which accepts the change and leaves the form
up). A ghost image of the transistor will be tied to the cursor. Place the NMOS
transistor in the schematic. Note: you can also use the Add Instance icon and
navigate to library MGC_DESIGN_KIT, cell NMOS_DEVICE_MODEL, view
Symbol and add the device that way.

Step 3 In the Add Instance form, click inside the Cell (C) field so you are editing in it, and
change the NMOS_DEVICE_MODEL to PMOS_DEVICE_MODEL. The dialog

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box will be refreshed,

PMOS_DEVICE_MODEL.

then

click

on

Apply

and

place

the

The schematic should now look similar to:

Adding Ports and Connecting the Devices

Step 1 Power could be added by pressing Add Instance icon in the left icon palette or
the hot key i. This will call the Add Instance window. Select the
MGC_IC_GENERIC_LIB library followed by VDD cell and its Symbol view. Place
it in the schematic window. Do the same for Ground.
Step 2 Place the IN and OUT ports in a similar way or by pressing the Add Port icon in
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the left icon palette.

Step 3 Place the cursor over the NET on the left of the IN port. Select Shift-F7 key. This
will bring up a form as shown below. Enter IN for the net name.

Step 4 Connect the devices by dragging the mouse from the pin of the device. You can
also use the hot key w.

Step 5 Do the same for the OUT net. The schematic should now look similar to.

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Step 6 Now from the right palette select Check & Save.

Changing Parameter Values

Your schematic is complete and you will now need to create a testbench for simulation.
You can manipulate devices and change device parameters by the following method that is
described below. If you are satisfied with the devices you may skip to the section entitled
generating a Symbol to continue.

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Changing Device Parameters

To change parameters on a device, select it and then either use the "q" hotkey or click on
the Edit Object Properties icon on the toolbar. The Edit Object Properties form appears,
similar to the form below. The Edit Object Properties form is similar to the Add Instance
form. Now, you can change the parameters you want by selecting them from the list,
changing their value, and then clicking Apply or OK. The valid ranges are checked and
the valid choices for each property are given.

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Selecting and manipulating instances

Devices can be selected with the left mouse button or by pressing the F1 function key
while the cursor is over the device. With the Edit section of the schematic_edit palette
you can Move, Copy, Delete, Undo, Flip or Rotate the instance.

The Flip Horizontal

and Rotate

strokes allow you to quickly manipulate

selected devices as do the f and r hotkeys. Unselect a device with the Unselect All
stroke or by pressing the F2 key

Generating a Symbol
Step 1 Select Tools > Generate Symbol from the pull down menu.

Step 2 When you select generate symbol the next form to will popup. You can OK the
form or you can change the shape to be a buffer and add a circle to create a
classic inverter shape.

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Step 3 You can select Circle from the symbol draw menu to add a circle to the inverter
symbol.

Step 4 When you finish editing the symbol click Check & Save.

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Creating a Testbench
Step 1 Go back to ICstudio. Notice that now the created lib contains a cell named
inverter with two views, a Schematic and Symbol view. Create a new cell with a
Schematic view named test_bench.

Step 2 Now instantiate the new inverter symbol by selecting Add > Instance from the
Schematic Edit Palette menu or pressing the hot key i. Select the Symbol view
of the inverter cell.

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Step 3 Add the IN and OUT net as before by selecting the hot key i. Name the nets with
shift-F7 function key.
Step 4 Add VDD and Ground ports in a similar fashion.
Step 5 Add a DC voltage source dc_v_source, from the MGC_IC_SOURCES_LIB.
Change the value of the DC property to be 3.3V. Add PULSE voltage source
pulse_v_source and change the value of the pulse_value property to be 3.3V
change also the delay to be 0S.

The test_bench schematic should look similar to the next figure.

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Step 6 Select Check & Save to Save schematic changes.

Simulating Schematic
Simulating the Testbench
Step 1 When you have no errors select the Simulation icon from the left icon palette to
go into design context and simulate our design.

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Step 2 Click ok when this form appears.

Now you are in the Design context and need to setup the analysis type, plots and
load in the Eldo models.

Step 4 Select the Setup Analysis icon. This will open a form for you to select the
analysis type. Select Transient followed by selecting the Setup button.

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Step 5 Let the Stop Time (TSTOP) be 100n and OK the two forms.

Step 6 Now select the IN and OUT terminals by holding down the left mouse button and
drawing a box around the terminals while pressing Shift. This will cause the wires
to be highlighted.

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Step 7 While the IN and OUT nets are selected press on the Setup Outputs icon from
the Icon Palette. This dialog box will appear. Select Selected Components tab
make sure the Plot Items(s) is selected, and click OK.

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Step 8 Another window will appear asking about the plot type, select Individually then
OK.

Step 9 create a netlist by selecting Netlist in the Execute section or Simulation > Create
Netlist . This will open a xterm window. Press Return to close the xterm window.

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Step 10 View the netlist by selecting: ASCII files > View Netlist in the Results session or
View > Netlist File.

Step 11 The netlist should look similar to this:

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Step 12 Close the netlist window (ShiftF12) or right-to-left stroke and select the Run
ELDO button under the Simulation Section or select Run icon. This will open
another xterm.Press Return to close the Simulation xterm.

Step 13 View the simulation results by selecting the View Waves button under the
Results section of the Simulation Palette or by selecting the View Outputs icon.
This will open EZWave for you with the output waveforms. This is how the
waveforms look like after zooming.

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Step 14 Close EZwave and DA_IC.

Creating a Layout Cell View

Step 1 To create a layout cell view select the inverter cell and click on File > New >
View from the menu bar. A window will pop-up asking for the cell view type.
Choose Layout as view type, the view name will be named automatically Layout.

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Step 2 By pressing Next a new window will appear asking you for the Connectivity
Source select Schematic to open IC-Station in the SDL mode.

Layer Palette

Step 3 By Pressing Finish this will open IC-Station.

Pull Down
Menu
Icon Bar
Icon Palette

IC Window
Schematic
Window

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Creating SDL
Step 1 Make the Schematic window active by selecting it with the LMB. Press on the
Auto Pick & Place icon from the Icon Bar. The tool will place the devices one by
one.

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You have now instantiated the pmos and nmos and the connectivity is maintained
as illustrated by the fly lines. Next you will add ports and complete the routing.
Step 2 With the layout window active, select the Pick Place Ports icon from the icon bar.

GROUND

Step 3 Select the VDD port and select MET1 as a layer for this port. The Width and
Height will be updated automatically according to the minimum metal1
dimensions. Press Apply to place the port.

Step 4 Place the rest of the ports.

VDD

IN

OUT
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GROUND

Step 5 To add the substrate contacts to the mosfets. Select Add Device icon from the Left
Hand Palette then select Path-based Guard Band select psub.

Step 6 Do the same for but choose nwell instead of psub.

Step 7 To add the over flow lines for both psub & nwell , Select psub then Connectivity >
Net > Add to Net to set psub to Ground and the same for nwell to set it to VDD.

Routing Layout
Step 1 Select the Layout window and maximize it. This will create a full window image of
the layout.
Step 2 To start routing press on the IRoute icon in the icon bar. Once you place the
cursor on where you want to start routing, it will start guided by the fly lines. You
can toggle between the connectivity layers by pressing space-bar.

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After completion,You should see something similar to the shown below

VDD

OUT

IN

GROUND

Step 3 Add text labels to the ports to make them recognizable by LVS by pressing the hot
key l or select Add > Text

This is how the layout will look like

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Verification of Layout
Now you can verify the layout by running DRC and LVS checks. we will run Calibre
Interactive.

Running Calibre Interactive DRC

Step 1 Select Tools > Calibre > Run DRC entry from the pull down menu.

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Step 2 This will bring up the Calibre Interactive DRC.

Select Rules button and notice that the rule file is loaded automatically.

Step 3 Select Run DRC.

Step 4 The Calibre RVE window will popup and you should see the following results.

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Running Calibre Interactive LVS

Step 1 Select Tools > Calibre > Run LVS entry from the pull down menu.
Step 2 The Calibre Interactive LVS window will popup. Make sure Export from
schematic viewer is selected while the Inputs and Netlist tabs are active as
shown.

Step 3 Select Run LVS.

Step 4 Calibre RVE window will popup and you should see results similar to this.

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This completes the Design Kit User Guide.

Thank you

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