Analog circuit synthesis for performance in OASAYS

Mechanisms needed to meet stringent performance demands in a hierarchically structured analog circuit synthesis tool are described. Experiences with adding a high-speed comparator design style to the OASYS synthesis tool are discussed. It is argued that design iteration--the process of making a heuristic design choice, following it through to possible failure, then diagnosing the failure and modifying the overall plan of attack for the synthesis--is essential to meet such performance demands. Examples of high-speed comparators automatically synthesized by OASYS are presented. Designs competitive in quality with manual expert designs, e.g., with response time of 6 ns and input drive of 1 mV, can be synthesized in under 5 on a workstation.