IC characteristic matching for optimal system performance

The author addresses integrated-circuit performance characteristic-matching considerations for which multiple suppliers or technologies are required. It is suggested that, in order to ensure robust designs in high-performance systems, the variability between the required devices and suppliers should be minimized. The variability can be minimized through the evaluation of the critical performance characteristics, both specified and nonspecified, of all desired suppliers and technologies. The selection of suppliers or technologies may then be limited to those which are the most compatible or to a source with the most desirable characteristics. As performance requirements increase, the current specification methods and the parameters specified are becoming less and less adequate to ensure consistency in the design and manufacture of modern high-performance systems. A more desirable method may be to specify target means and distributions versus minimum/maximum limits. In addition, the requirement to specify performance-related parameters. Such as speed performance offsets or dynamic high- and/or low-level input voltage levels, should also be pursued. As an example, an outline of a basic study of the 74FXXX family of devices is presented