Methodology Verification of Hierarchically Described VLSI Circuits

The standard approach to master the complexity of designing VLSI systems is to adopt a set of rules that, when respected, are conducive to correct implementations. Any such collection of rules can be called a design methodology. Most of the effort in computer-aided VLSI methodology verification has been traditionally concentrated on geometrical DRC. This paper describes a program that checks circuit conformity to other kinds of rules. This is done at the transistor level, and most of the rules are user-selected. Two related issues are also discussed: the description of digital MOS circuits using wiring operators; and the formal description of methodologies by the designer.