B

BJT (bipolar junction transistor): a type of transistor that relies on the contact of two types of semiconductor for its operation. BJTs can be used as amplifiers, switches, or in oscillators; so named because their operation involves two types of charge carriers (instead of just n-channel or p-channel), both electrons (NPN type) and holes (PNP type).

The BJT's three terminals are:   

Base (B) = input voltage
Emitter (E) = output voltage
Collector (C) = absorbed voltage (?)

bit: the basic unit of information in computing and digital communications; can have only one of two values (most commonly represented as 0 or 1), and may therefore be physically implemented with a two-state device.

byte: a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, the byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer, and for this reason it is the smallest addressable unit of memory in many computer architectures.

A

algorithm: a step-by-step procedure used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning.

A method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Starting from an initial state and initial input (perhaps empty), the instructions describe a computation that, when executed, proceeds through a finite number of well-defined successive states, eventually producing "output" and terminating at a final ending state. Often represented by a diagram known as a “flowchart” which shows the steps as boxes of various kinds, in order connected with arrows.

analog: representing information using a continuous function, as opposed to digital or discrete systems; describes the proportional relationship between a signal and a voltage or current that represents the signal. Analog circuits must be designed by hand, and the process is much less automated than for digital systems.

antenna check: part of the physical verification process for an IC in which yield and reliability problems during manufacture due to the “antenna effect” are avoided. Before signing-off an IC physical design/layout for fabrication, the Antenna Rule Check is therefore performed.

Fabs normally supply antenna rules (the allowable ratio for each interconnect layer of metal area to gate area) that must be obeyed to avoid the antenna effect. In general, antenna violations must be fixed by the router.

ARM: a family of instruction set architectures for computer processors based on a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) architecture developed by British company ARM Holdings. ARM architecture (32-bit) is the most widely used architecture in mobile devices, and the most popular 32-bit one in embedded systems.

ASCII (the American Standard Code for Information Interchange): (pronounced ask-ee) a code for representing English characters as numbers, with each letter assigned a number from 0 to 127. For example, the ASCII code for uppercase M is 77. Most computers use ASCII codes to represent text, which makes it possible to transfer data from one computer to another.

assertion: in HDL circuit design, a conditional statement that checks for specific behavior and displays a message if it occurs. Assertions do not model circuit activity, but capture and document the designer's intent in the HDL code. Assertions are generally used as monitors looking for bad behavior, but may be used to create an alert for desired behavior as well.

async crossing:

ATPG (Automatic Test Pattern Generation or Automatic Test Pattern Generator): an EDA method/technology used to find an input (or test) sequence that, when applied to a digital circuit, enables automatic test equipment (ATE) to distinguish between the correct circuit behavior and the faulty circuit behavior caused by defects.

0 - 9

1T1C (1T–1C): (one-Transistor, one-Capacitor) refers to a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) cell consisting of a single transistor and capacitor, one of the most manufactured devices in the history of mankind.

2D IC: two-dimensional planar structure, the conventional architecture of integrated circuits.

2D-H (2D-hierarchical): architecture

3D IC: three-dimensional integrated circuit constructed using stacked die. In 3D IC, multiple

wafers are stacked on top of each other, and the tiers are vertically connected through 3D vias.

ASICs and ICs

ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit): [pronounced “A-sick”]  an integrated circuit (IC) customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use.

ASICs have from 5,000 gates to over 100 million gates. Modern ASICs often include entire microprocessors, memory blocks including ROM, RAM, EEPROM, flash memory and other large building blocks. Such an ASIC is often termed a SoC (system-on-chip). Designers of digital ASICs often use a hardware description language (HDL), such as Verilog or VHDL, to describe the functionality of ASICs.

IC (integrated circuit): (also referred to as a chip or a microchip) a set of electronic circuits on one small plate ("chip") of semiconductor material, normally silicon; can be made very compact, much smaller than a discrete circuit made from independent components. ICs today can have up to several billion transistors and other electronic components in an area the size of a fingernail with the width of each conducting line in a circuit being made smaller and smaller (under 100 nanometers in 2008, now down to tens of nanometers). Digital IC design uses the general approach of specifying the desired behavior in a textual programming language and letting the tools derive the detailed physical design.