Introduction to CMOS VLSI Design Lecture 4: DC & Transient Response Credits: David Harris Harvey Mudd College (Material taken/adapted from Harris’ lecture notes)

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 2 Outline  DC Response  Logic Levels and Noise Margins  Transient Response  Delay Estimation

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 3 Activity 1) If the width of a transistor increases, the current will increasedecreasenot change 2) If the length of a transistor increases, the current will increasedecreasenot change 3) If the supply voltage of a chip increases, the maximum transistor current will increasedecreasenot change 4) If the width of a transistor increases, its gate capacitance will increasedecreasenot change 5) If the length of a transistor increases, its gate capacitance will increasedecreasenot change 6) If the supply voltage of a chip increases, the gate capacitance of each transistor will increasedecreasenot change

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 4 Activity 1) If the width of a transistor increases, the current will increasedecreasenot change 2) If the length of a transistor increases, the current will increasedecreasenot change 3) If the supply voltage of a chip increases, the maximum transistor current will increasedecreasenot change 4) If the width of a transistor increases, its gate capacitance will increasedecreasenot change 5) If the length of a transistor increases, its gate capacitance will increasedecreasenot change 6) If the supply voltage of a chip increases, the gate capacitance of each transistor will increasedecreasenot change

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 5 DC Response  DC Response: V out vs. V in for a gate  Ex: Inverter –When V in = 0 -> V out = V DD –When V in = V DD -> V out = 0 –In between, V out depends on transistor size and current –By KCL, must settle such that I dsn = |I dsp | –We could solve equations –But graphical solution gives more insight

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 6 Transistor Operation  Current depends on region of transistor behavior  For what V in and V out are nMOS and pMOS in –Cutoff? –Linear? –Saturation?

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 7 nMOS Operation CutoffLinearSaturated V gsn <V gsn > V dsn < V gsn > V dsn >

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 8 nMOS Operation CutoffLinearSaturated V gsn < V tn V gsn > V tn V dsn < V gsn – V tn V gsn > V tn V dsn > V gsn – V tn

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 9 nMOS Operation CutoffLinearSaturated V gsn < V tn V gsn > V tn V dsn < V gsn – V tn V gsn > V tn V dsn > V gsn – V tn V gsn = V in V dsn = V out

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 10 nMOS Operation CutoffLinearSaturated V gsn < V tn V in < V tn V gsn > V tn V in > V tn V dsn < V gsn – V tn V out < V in - V tn V gsn > V tn V in > V tn V dsn > V gsn – V tn V out > V in - V tn V gsn = V in V dsn = V out

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 11 pMOS Operation CutoffLinearSaturated V gsp >V gsp < V dsp > V gsp < V dsp <

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 12 pMOS Operation CutoffLinearSaturated V gsp > V tp V gsp < V tp V dsp > V gsp – V tp V gsp < V tp V dsp < V gsp – V tp

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 13 pMOS Operation CutoffLinearSaturated V gsp > V tp V gsp < V tp V dsp > V gsp – V tp V gsp < V tp V dsp < V gsp – V tp V gsp = V in - V DD V dsp = V out - V DD V tp < 0

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 14 pMOS Operation CutoffLinearSaturated V gsp > V tp V in > V DD + V tp V gsp < V tp V in < V DD + V tp V dsp > V gsp – V tp V out > V in - V tp V gsp < V tp V in < V DD + V tp V dsp < V gsp – V tp V out < V in - V tp V gsp = V in - V DD V dsp = V out - V DD V tp < 0

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 15 I-V Characteristics  Make pMOS is wider than nMOS such that  n =  p

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 16 Current vs. V out, V in

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 17 Load Line Analysis  For a given V in : –Plot I dsn, I dsp vs. V out –V out must be where |currents| are equal in

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 18 Load Line Analysis  V in = 0

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 19 Load Line Analysis  V in = 0.2V DD

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 20 Load Line Analysis  V in = 0.4V DD

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 21 Load Line Analysis  V in = 0.6V DD

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 22 Load Line Analysis  V in = 0.8V DD

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 23 Load Line Analysis  V in = V DD

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 24 Load Line Summary

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 25 DC Transfer Curve  Transcribe points onto V in vs. V out plot

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 26 Operating Regions  Revisit transistor operating regions RegionnMOSpMOS A B C D E

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 27 Operating Regions  Revisit transistor operating regions RegionnMOSpMOS ACutoffLinear BSaturationLinear CSaturation DLinearSaturation ELinearCutoff

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 28 Beta Ratio  If  p /  n  1, switching point will move from V DD /2  Called skewed gate  Other gates: collapse into equivalent inverter

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 29 Noise Margins  How much noise can a gate input see before it does not recognize the input?

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 30 Logic Levels  To maximize noise margins, select logic levels at

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 31 Logic Levels  To maximize noise margins, select logic levels at –unity gain point of DC transfer characteristic

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 32 Transient Response  DC analysis tells us V out if V in is constant  Transient analysis tells us V out (t) if V in (t) changes –Requires solving differential equations  Input is usually considered to be a step or ramp –From 0 to V DD or vice versa

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 33 Inverter Step Response  Ex: find step response of inverter driving load cap

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 34 Inverter Step Response  Ex: find step response of inverter driving load cap

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 35 Inverter Step Response  Ex: find step response of inverter driving load cap

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 36 Inverter Step Response  Ex: find step response of inverter driving load cap

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 37 Inverter Step Response  Ex: find step response of inverter driving load cap

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 38 Inverter Step Response  Ex: find step response of inverter driving load cap

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 39 Delay Definitions  t pdr :  t pdf :  t pd :  t r :  t f : fall time

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 40 Delay Definitions  t pdr : rising propagation delay –From input to rising output crossing V DD /2 (upper bound)  t pdf : falling propagation delay –From input to falling output crossing V DD /2 (upper bound)  t pd : average propagation delay –t pd = (t pdr + t pdf )/2  t r : rise time –From output crossing 0.2 V DD to 0.8 V DD  t f : fall time –From output crossing 0.8 V DD to 0.2 V DD

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 41 Delay Definitions  t cdr : rising contamination delay –From input beginning to change to output beginning to rise (lower bound)  t cdf : falling contamination delay –From input beginning to change to output beginning to fall (lower bound)  t cd : average contamination delay –t pd = (t cdr + t cdf )/2

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 42 Simulated Inverter Delay  Solving differential equations by hand is too hard  SPICE simulator solves the equations numerically –Uses more accurate I-V models too!  But simulations do take time to complete for large circuits

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 43 Delay Estimation  We would like to be able to easily estimate delay –Not as accurate as simulation –But easier to ask “What if?”  The step response usually looks like a 1 st order RC response with a decaying exponential.  Use RC delay models to estimate delay –C = total capacitance on output node –Use effective resistance R –So that t pd = RC  Characterize transistors by finding their effective R –Depends on average current as gate switches

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 44 RC Delay Models  Use equivalent circuits for MOS transistors –Ideal switch + capacitance and ON resistance –Unit nMOS has resistance R, capacitance C –Unit pMOS has resistance 2R, capacitance C  Capacitance proportional to width  Resistance inversely proportional to width

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 45 Example: 3-input NAND  Sketch a 3-input NAND with transistor widths chosen to achieve effective rise and fall resistances equal to a unit inverter (R).

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 46 Example: 3-input NAND  Sketch a 3-input NAND with transistor widths chosen to achieve effective rise and fall resistances equal to a unit inverter (R).

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 47 Example: 3-input NAND  Sketch a 3-input NAND with transistor widths chosen to achieve effective rise and fall resistances equal to a unit inverter (R).

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 48 3-input NAND Caps  Annotate the 3-input NAND gate with gate and diffusion capacitance.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 49 3-input NAND Caps  Annotate the 3-input NAND gate with gate and diffusion capacitance.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 50 3-input NAND Caps  Annotate the 3-input NAND gate with gate and diffusion capacitance.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 51 Elmore Delay  ON transistors look like resistors  Pullup or pulldown network modeled as RC ladder  Elmore delay of RC ladder

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 52 Example: 2-input NAND  Estimate worst-case rising and falling delay of 2- input NAND driving h identical gates.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 53 Example: 2-input NAND  Estimate rising and falling propagation delays of a 2- input NAND driving h identical gates.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 54 Example: 2-input NAND  Estimate rising and falling propagation delays of a 2- input NAND driving h identical gates.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 55 Example: 2-input NAND  Estimate rising and falling propagation delays of a 2- input NAND driving h identical gates.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 56 Example: 2-input NAND  Estimate rising and falling propagation delays of a 2- input NAND driving h identical gates.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 57 Example: 2-input NAND  Estimate rising and falling propagation delays of a 2- input NAND driving h identical gates.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 58 Example: 2-input NAND  Estimate rising and falling propagation delays of a 2- input NAND driving h identical gates.

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 59 Delay Components  Delay has two parts –Parasitic delay 6 or 7 RC Independent of load –Effort delay 4h RC Proportional to load capacitance

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 60 Contamination Delay  Best-case (contamination) delay can be substantially less than propagation delay.  Ex: If both inputs fall simultaneously

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 61 Diffusion Capacitance  we assumed contacted diffusion on every s / d.  Good layout minimizes diffusion area  Ex: NAND3 layout shares one diffusion contact –Reduces output capacitance by 2C –Merged uncontacted diffusion might help too

CMOS VLSI Design4: DC and Transient ResponseSlide 62 Layout Comparison  Which layout is better?