Dumbo, A Schematic-to-Layout Compiler

This paper describes a technique for compiling logic circuit descriptions into layout and a program, Dumbo, to demonstrate the technique. Cells are described to the compiler as structural primitives, which describe the general form of the layout, and electrical primitives, which describe tlie circuit connectivity in terms of Boolean and pass gates. Dumbo maps these primitives into stick figures; it tlien solves a placement and wiring problem to produce a stick diagram tliat can be compacted into a layout. Implementation of Dumbo has focused on nMOS technology. Experimental results show that the resultmg system gives promising results for a large class of cells with much less effort on the designer’s part than required for traditional design techniques.