Second generation' silicon compilers

✍ Scribed by S.S. Dlay

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 757 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0026-2692
• DOI: 10.1016/s0026-2692(87)80436-6

✦ Synopsis

The paper describes a "first generation' silicon compiler for full custom NMOS and CMOS designs. The circuits are captured by using procedures embedded in the high level language PASCAL. Although the system enables designs to be described relatively quickly and reliably, and contains all the powerful constructs of a standard programming language, it is noted that this type of compiler is not entirely suitable 9 for the complexity of circuits currently being designed. The difficulties arise due to the problems that designers have in relating to the textual description and the verbosity of the resulting description. Finally, the paper discusses how these silicon compilers can be improved and can form a basis for 'second generation' silicon compilers.