MIXED SIGNAL SYSTEM ON CHIP DESIGN METHODOLOGIES FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS

In the last few years the complexity of mixed-signal ICs has dramatically increased, especially thanks to advances in process technology. Meanwhile, tighter time-to-market requirements have forced companies to reduce the whole product cycle and to review the manufacturing flow to maintain a high level of product quality. To reduce this existing gap between the productivity provided by the latest CAD tools and the productivity required from the market, designers have to change the way design is done. In the digital domain several approaches are well established and allow these new issues to be overcome. On the other hand, the design and verification of analog cells of generic ICs has become the main cost due to nonlinearities, parasitic effects, tolerances and the high complexity of the analog blocks. The main goal of this research is then providing new instruments, methodologies and tools to help designer during their job. In this thesis will be depicted the proposed design flow that has been used for the creation of two MSSOC for sensor conditioning designed in collaboration with Sensordynamics AG.