Computer-aided design of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits

This survey presents an overview of recent advances in the state of the art for computer-aided design (CAD) tools for analog and mixed-signal integrat ed circuits (ICs). Analog blocks typically constitute only a small fraction of the components on mixed-signal ICs and emerging systems-on-a-chip (SoC) designs. But due to the in creasing levels of integration available in sil icon technology and the growing requirement for digital systems to communic ate with the continuous-valued external world, there is a growing need for CAD tools that increase the design productivity and improve the quality of analog integrated circuits. This paper describes the motivation and evoluti on of these tools and outlines progress on the various design problems invo lved: simulation and modeling, symbolic analysis, synthesis and optimizatio n, layout generation, yield analysis and design centering, and test. This p aper summarizes the problems for which viable solutions are emerging and th ose which are still unsolved.