Fabrication-based optimization of linear integrated circuits

This paper demonstrates how optimization methods that were originally derived for the design of networks comprised of ideal elements can profitably be used to realize practical designs of linear integrated-circuit amplifiers. Of fundamental importance is the establishment of a set of designable parameters which are consistent in terms of the relationship between the processing steps, i.e., the diffusion processes and mask geometries, used to fabricate a physical device and the parameters of the ideal elements used to model the device on the computer. These considerations have led to the computer program for fabrication-related optimization of linear integrated circuits (FROUC).