CASS Talks 2022 – Jul 8, 2022
Analog (Layout) Synthesis – Back to the Future Architectures – Prof. Helmut Graeb
Abstract:
Analog design automation appears to be a nightmare, both for EDA developers and analog designers. Analog sizing and design centering has found its way to commercial tools, but are they used? Research on structural synthesis of analog circuits pretty much gave up and is in hibernation mode. But active research on analog layout synthesis is underway, at least. Will it find its way to industrial application? In this talk, we will pick and take a short look at three commercial approaches to analog sizing, at two approaches to analog structural synthesis, and at statistical, deterministic and procedural approaches to analog layout synthesis. Maybe, we can get to some conclusion on what to do to get EDA tools into practical application.
Short CV:
Helmut Graeb received the Master and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), in 1986, 1993, respectively. Since 1987, he has been with the Chair of Electronic Design Automation, TUM, where he has been the Head of a research group since 1993. His research interest is in the area of design automation for analog circuits, where contributed some good papers. He is an IEEE Fellow and co-founder of MunEDA GmbH. He was a recipient of the 2021 Best Doctoral Advisor Award and of the 2020 Best Teaching Award of the Department of ECE at TUM, of the 2008 Prize of the German Information Technology Society (ITG), of the 2004 Best Teaching Award of the TUM EE Faculty Students Association, and of the Third Prize of the 1996 Munich Business Plan Contest. He served as VP Publications of IEEE CEDA, as member of the Executive Committee of ICCAD, as member or Chair of the Analog Program Subcommittees of the ICCAD, DAC, and DATE conferences, as associate editor of IEEE TCAS and TCAD.