Multilevel Representation and Simulation for VLSI Design.

Abstract

Abstract : The design of integrated circuits has become almost impossible without circuit and system level simulation programs. Simulators at the circuit level produce performance data that allows the circuits to be functionally verified, optimized, and their performance evaluated. The size and complexity of integrated circuits has increased tremendously since the first circuit simulators were designed. Because the large circuits need to be simulated as thoroughly as smaller ones, the time spent simulating larger circuits has increased dramatically. Consequently, simulation tools that can efficiently simulate large circuits are needed. In this regard, work under this contract has focussed on the improvement of the mixed circuit/logic simulator SAMSON, as well as the development of new approaches to simulation. At the system level, simulators also produce data that allow the system architecture to be functionally verified, optimized and evaluated. Because of the ever larger systems being designed for implementation on an integrated circuit chip, there is a need for higher performance system level simulators. In this regard, work under this contract has also focussed on the development of new approaches to system level simulation. A study of the use of hardware accelerators in this application is described.