Design methodology and CAD tools for the NVAX microprocessor

Author

Peng, Victor ; Donchin, Dale R. ; Yen, Yao-Tsung

Author_Institution

Digital Equipment Corp., Hudson, MA, USA

fYear

1992

Firstpage

310

Lastpage

313

Abstract

The design and verification of the NVAX microprocessor are described. Full-custom circuit and layout techniques were required to achieve the target cycle time, and the design had to be completed as quickly as possible to meet time-to-market requirements. A structured design methodology and several novel proprietary CAD tools were used to develop the full custom chip from a textual specification to tape out in 20 months. First silicon booted the VMS operating system, worked in symmetric multiprocessing system configurations, and operated at 83.3 MHz under worst-case operating conditions

Keywords

circuit CAD; logic CAD; microprocessor chips; 83.3 MHz; CAD tools; VMS operating system; design methodology; full custom chip; full custom circuit; layout techniques; structured design methodology; symmetric multiprocessing system configurations; textual specification; worst-case operating conditions; Atherosclerosis; Clocks; Design automation; Design engineering; Design methodology; Logic devices; Memory management; Microprocessors; Power supplies; Time to market;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Computer Design: VLSI in Computers and Processors, 1992. ICCD '92. Proceedings, IEEE 1992 International Conference on

Conference_Location

Cambridge, MA

Print_ISBN

0-8186-3110-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ICCD.1992.276277

Filename

276277