Design/Simulation of microelectronics using VLSI design techniques

Abstract

In this paper, simple logic circuits were used to design more advanced, yet basic and essential MOS components. The 4-Stage Binary Counter can count sequentially 2^4 bits and is used in a variety of applications like program counting, random number generation and as a counter in general. It consists of a simple design, but is important to also be familiar with the basic components that are used in the making of the counter. In order for the reader to have a general idea, there are a lot of design choices and in this paper there are a few different designs of the same components. The random number generation process is very important especially in cryptography and in randomizing elements like in games. Random number generation can be achieved with software programs and with hardware devices. A hardware random number generation is a device that generates numbers from a physical process, in contrast to algorithmical. A true random number can be obtained only through hardware, because the microscopic phenomena used are, in theory, completely unpredictable. The program counter and instructions decoder are important components in addressing the programs and processes running in the memory, as well as which system in the integrated circuit needs the attention of the processor and for what period of time. These components work closely with memory and the processor. Memory is an essential component of every processor and advanced application. There are a lot of types of memories with their advantages and disadvantages depending on the application. This paper deals with Static Random Access Memory cell designs, which are easy to make and comprehensible, as well as generally good and reliable memory types. Additionally, memory needs some extra components in order to work properly, like a decoder to write reliably the new information into the memory cells and a multiplexer to read the information from the memory cells. However, CMOS circuits aren’t only digital, there are a lot of analog signals in a CMOS circuit which need constant conversion to digital as well as to analog and also some kind of comparison between them. Components like the differential amplifier are important in a variety of applications such as memory, for comparison of signals and also as amplifiers.