Circuit Design Methodology

The key to energy-efficient circuit implementation, much like architecture and system design, is to focus on energy consumption throughout the entire process, rather than addressing it only as the design nears completion. There are a number of simple rules that will yield an energy-efficient circuit implementations that will be described in this Chapter. Also, if a set of simple rules are followed most CMOS circuits can be made to be robust against the voltage variations of DVS which will also be presented. To demonstrate these principles the design of several complex blocks such as the arithmetic and memory circuits will be described in detail. Because of the importance of bus transceivers, a discussion of an ultra-low energy design will also be given.