ABSTRACT
Application specific integrated circuits (ICs), also called custom integrated circuits, are chips specially designed to perform a function that cannot be done using standard components, improve the performance of a circuit, or reduce the volume, weight, and power requirement and increase the reliability of a given system by integrating a large number of functions on a single chip or a small number of chips. In a typical full custom IC design, every device and circuit element on the chip is designed for that particular chip. Of course, common sense dictates that device and circuit elements proven to work well in previous designs are reused in subsequent ones whenever possible. After schematic capture is completed, the designer simulates the entire circuit first to verify that it performs the logic functions the circuit is designed to perform and then using the electrical specifications files, a timing simulation is performed to make sure the circuit will operate at the clock frequency desired.
