Systematic design of high-accuracy current-steering D/A converter macrocells for integrated VLSI systems

This brief presents a systematic design methodology for digital-to analog (D/A) converter macrocells for integrated VLSI systems. A generic behavioral model is included for system level exploration to define the converter's specifications. The architecture and the sizes of the devices are then calculated using a performance-driven design methodology. Using a novel layout tool, the layout of the regular structures with complex connectivity, typical for D/A converters, is automatically generated. Finally, a detailed behavioral model is extracted, combining both complex dynamic behavior (glitch energy) and static behavior. A 12-bit and two 14-bit D/A converters have been designed using this approach. It is demonstrated how the applied methodology and supporting tools drastically reduce the total design time, thereby significantly increasing analog design productivity.