An approach for microsystems codesign

The increasing interest in microsystems technology or MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) is a result of the progress in the integrated circuit (IC) fabrication domain, in the last decades. Nowadays, a great effort is being made to construct non-electrical parts on a single chip in order to obtain monolithic multi-functional smart sensors. For this, the CAD tools must also support such a multi-domain design environment, including from system behavior description and simulation to a unified layout construction. An approach to microsystems codesign is presented, and some back-end tools (layout level) such as layout generators, cross-section and 3D viewers, and etching simulators are already available.