ABSTRACT
The domain of computer-aided design and optimization for circuits and filters alone is very broad, especially since the design objectives are usually multiple. In general, the circuit design can be classified into
• electrical design
• physical design
Physical design deals with concrete geometrical parameters while electrical design deals with the electrical performances of the physical object. Strictly speaking, both design aspects are inseparable since any physical design is a realization of a particular electrical design. On the other hand, electrical design without proper abstraction of the corresponding physical design can be futile in the sense that its implementation may not meet the design goals. Thus, electrical and physical design should go hand in hand. Most literature deals with both designs using weighted abstractions. For example, in the design of a digital or analog filter, various effects of physical layout are first captured in the parasitic models for interconnects and in the electrical performance models for transistors. Then, electrical design is performed using such models to predict electrical performances. In physical design optimization, geometrical parameters are chosen such that the predicted electrical performances can meet the design objectives. For example, in the timing-driven physical layout of integrated circuits, circuit components will be laid out, placed and interconnected to meet timing requirements. In order to make the optimization process computationally efficient, performance models are used during the optimization process instead of simulation tools. In this chapter, the focus of design optimization is on the electrical performance. The computer-aided electrical design can be further classified into performance analysis and optimization.
