VLSI Layout using Microwind

Kishore C Acharya

Getting Microwind
Go to the website
http://www.microwind.org
Download the freeware version of the microwind
in a Folder called microwind_source
Unzip the files in a Folder called
microwind_layout

Setting Up Technology File

Launch the program microwind2.exe from
the folder microwind2-7 within
microwind_layout folder
From File Menu-> Select Foundry
Browse to Folder Micrrowind2-7 and open
the file cmos06.rul On the Layout window
at the Top left there is a ruler. The ruler
should say 5 lambda and 1.5 micron
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Creating your own rule file

If the appropriate rule file is not available,
you can create your own rule file:
Using notepad open the file default.rul in
microwind2-7 folder
Edit appropriate parameters
Save as a new file
Note: Oxide thickness is defined in l3tox within
spice parameters
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Suggested Directory Tree

Main Directory C or D

Microwind_source
Contains microwind2,zip

Microwind_layout

Microwind2-7
Contains all microwind files
Automatically built during Unzip

ee393_layout
Contains all layout files
And special .rul files
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Opening and Saving Layout Files

Open: From File menu Select Open and
Browse to the folder ee393_layout and open
the appropriate .msk file
Save: From File Menu select Menu item
Save as and save layout file in ee393_layout
directory
You must setup Technology Right after
Launch before any work
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Working with Layout Notes

To draw a transistor click on the transistor
symbol in the Palette window.
Select transistor type (PMOS or NMOS)
Select the units in lambda and specify width in terms
of lambda

Delete: select the Gun icon and either click

on each color section or draw a border
around the device
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To Do Layout
Select the appropriate trace e.g. poly,
metal1, contact etc.
Draw a rectangle by dragging the mouse and
the appropriate trace will be drawn as you
release the mouse button

Design rule checker

During layout process check if the component
placements such as NMOS, PMOS transistors are
correct.
From the Analysis menu select the menu item Design
Rule Checker
If the placements are correct Checker will report No
error
If there are errors, checker will display them on the
components in the placement window
Clicking the mouse in the placement window will
remove the error display

Well Contacts
From Palette menu select contact (three bars
next to transistor symbol)
Select N+ to Metal contact
Place the contact on a Metal line over the N
well (if needed extend the N well over the Vdd
bus
Run design rule checker

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Substrate Contacts
From Palette menu select contact (three bars
next to transistor symbol)
Select P+ to Metal contact
Place the contact on a Metal line (ground bus)
next to the NMOS transistor
Run design rule checker

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Metal to Metal Contacts

From Palette menu select contact (three bars
next to transistor symbol)
Set Poly to Diff Contact selection to none
Check () appropriate metal to metal contact
(e.g. Metal 1 to Metal 2)
Place the contact on the intersection of the two
Metal lines
Run design rule checker
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Working with Layout Notes

Continued
Rotate & Flip: From Edit Menu select menu
item Flip or Rotate -> Flip or Rotation angle
Draw a box around the object

Move: From Edit Menu select menu item

Move or Stretch
Draw a box around the object and move the object by
dragging the mouse
click on an edge of the object and stretch it by dragging
the mouse

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Working with Layout Notes

Continued
Pan: From the tool bar use left, right top
and bottom arrows for panning alternatively
use the arrow keys from the keyboard
Move stepwise: From Edit Menu select
menu item Move Step By Step
Draw a box around the object and move the
object by clicking on the arrows that appears on
the screen
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Working with Layout Notes

Continued
Delete: From the menu bar select the gun
symbol (Delete Some Layout)
Method 1:Draw a box around the object to be
deleted using the mouse and let go the mouse
button
Method 2:Place the mouse pointer on the
object to be deleted and click the right button

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Working with Layout Notes

Continued
Zoom in: From the tool bar use Zoom in
icon and then click on the Layout Window
Zoom out: From the tool bar use Zoom out
icon and then click on the Layout Window
On the tool bar click on the draw box icon
to stop Zoom operation
To Print: From the File Menu select Menu
item Print Layout
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Obtaining parasitic values

Put the mouse on a section of the Layout (e.g.
Metal lines, Gate connections etc) and click the
right button of the mouse.
From the displayed menu at the mouse point select
the menu item Node Properties
A new window called Navigator will be displayed
Read the parasitic values displayed in the navigator
Window
If the parasitic values are not displayed click on Props
Tab of the Navigator window
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Some drawing & design rule help

Make width of all metal lines 4
Make spacing between two adjacent metal lines 6
When making contact between metal and
polysilicon, build a 4 by 4 pad with polysilicon
for connection
For layouts needing many connections use Metal 1
for Horizontal lines and Metal 2 for vertical lines

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Changing Layout display

To BW Layout
From File Menu Select menu item Colors
From Colors submenu click on Monochrome
From Colors Submenu White or Black back ground can
be selected by clicking on White background

To Color Layout
From File Menu Select menu item Colors
From the Colors submenu click on Color

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Naming Nodes and Assigning Parameters

Select a node by double clicking on it
Right click and select Text Properties
Type name of the (e.g. In, Vdd, Out etc.) node in the Label
name box
Select node type by clicking on the button
Enter appropriate parameters
For observation in simulation click not in simulation
Observable variable are shown in italics

Click on Assign button

Click on Move icon and move name into the node by
clicking on it

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Assigning Virtual Components

From the Edit menu select menu item
Virtual RLC
Click on the R or L or C

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Creating SPICE Netlist

From File menu select menu item Convert
Info
Select SPICE netlist

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About SPICE in Microwind

SPICE Model files are located in rule file
Supported Simulation Type
Frequency Sweep Analysis (Frequency vs.
time)
DC Analysis (Static Voltage vs. Voltage
Transient Analysis (Voltage vs. time &
Voltage,Current vs. time)

Model Selection (Level 1, Level 3& BSIM)

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Running Simulation
If default Vdd is not correct Set default voltage to
desired voltage in rule file
To find the variable in rule file search for vdd
Set Vdd = 5.0 for I/O & Vddh = 5.0 or 3.3 for core
logic

Select Run Simulation from Simulate menu

Select Simulation type from sub menu
Setup simulation parameter in simulation dialog
box that appears
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Model & Parameter Selection

Default model is level 3
To use different model from simulate menu
select using model then model type (Level 1
or BSIM) from submenu
Simulation parameters (Model, voltage
range, temperature etc.)can be setup by
Selecting Simulation parameter menu item
from Simulation Menu
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Simulation Parameter Setup

For Transient Analysis (Voltage vs. time or
Voltage, Current vs. time)
Set to desired duration by clicking into the Time
Scale dialog item (center right)

For DC Analysis (Static Voltage vs. Voltage

Set to desired voltage range by clicking into the X
Scale dialog item (center right)

Simulation could be repeated by clicking into

Reset or more button
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Getting Microwind2
Go to the website
http://www.microwind.org
Click on the Hyperlink (Location: Top right)
New: A book on CMOS design by J. Uyemura based on
Microwind
Click on the hyperlink (Location: Below the description of the
book)
Microwind 2.7 (lite version)
Download the file in a Folder called microwind_source
Unzip the files in a Folder called microwind_layout
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