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John J. Borelli, Principal Design Engineer, GHz Circuit Design, Inc After many years of promise, complex RF and Mixed-Signal systems are being realized on a single integrated circuit. These ICs contain upwards of 5000 transistors and can include a large digital section. In the past, RFICs with a small transistor count could be developed without a rigorous methodology and front-to-back CAD system. This is no longer true. Taking a page out of the digital designers handbook, a top-down design methodology for complex RF and Mixed-Signal ICs has been developed. This methodology relies heavily on Verilog behavioral simulations, mixed level (behavioral/transistor) simulation, mixed-mode (analog/digital) simulations and transistor-level simulation. The methodology also includes a full IC parasitic extraction, back annotation and re-simulation. Package modeling, thermal modeling, BIT, and testability issues are also addressed. The speaker and his company have refined this methodology during the development of several complex IC products, in various enabling technologies (such as CMOS, BiCMOS and GaAs). During his talk, John will review the various aspects of the methodology and the logic behind them. He will also present an example success story using the methodology. Comments and discussion with the audience will be welcomed.
The MTT-S Chapter invites you to join us for the inaugural meeting for the fall/winter season. This should prove to be an interesting topic, and remember, if your not there, the competition will be!
Speaker abridged Biography: John Borelli received the BSEET from Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA in 1986. From 1984 to 1986, during his Co-op program at Wentworth, Mr. Borelli worked in industry as a Technician/Junior-level Engineer at Microwave Development Laboratories in Natick, MA. He was responsible for performing measurements on various waveguide components to-be-used in primarily military applications. In addition, he was charged with implementing automated testing of said components. This involved programming various laboratory instruments for control and data acquisition. In 1986, after receiving his degree, Mr. Borelli was promoted to Microwave Design Engineer. In this capacity, he designed waveguide components including H/ E-Plane & Magic tees, S/W & T/W hybrids, transducers and monopulse comparators. He also implemented software that would theoretically cascade the behaviors of various waveguide components so a system simulation could be performed prior to manufacturing. In addition to this, he designed & implemented various calibration standards to-be-used for error-correction when performing measurements with Vector Network Analyzers (VNA's). In 1988, Mr. Borelli joined the Advanced Technology Division of Alpha Industries, Woburn, MA as a Software/Design Engineer. In this capacity, he implemented a complex MMIC evaluation system, including modeling and database functions. In addition he designed several MMIC products for commercial applications including Personal Communications Networks (PCN) and Collision Avoidance radars. Many of these circuits (X, K, Ku, Ka, V & W-band LNA's, Small-signal/Driver and Power Amplifiers VCO's, Frequency Multipliers, and switches) are still in production today. In 1994, Mr. Borelli became the CAD/CAE Technical Manager. He implemented a then-new system (hardware & software) allowing circuit-simulator-independent schematic-entry for the Circuit Designers along with a complementary Layout Editor utilizing LVS/DRC functionality for the Layout Designers. He also doubled as technical liaison between internal/external Circuit Designers and Alpha's foundry personnel. In 1995, Mr. Borelli joined Cadence Design Systems in Chelmsford, MA as an Applications Engineer. There, he participated in training customers on the many applications and proper usage of Cadence's broad, integrated EDA tool suite. In addition to performing various evaluations, benchmarks, demonstrations, and technical presentations, he acted as a technical consultant to various research and development groups in the areas of RF/Microwave simulation, Optimization and Parasitic Re-simulation. Because of this, he was promoted to Technical Leader in the Custom-IC business unit, responsible for conveying the technical capabilities of the tool suite during a sales call and/or customer site visit. In 1998, Mr. Borelli joined GHz Circuit Design as Principal Design Engineer. He has project level responsibility for several IC developments. He is the author / co-author of several papers in the area of RF and microwave design. |
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