VLSI Front end and backend tools ?

[truebs]

vlsi back end tools

hi,
can some one explain what are backend and front end tools in VLSI / VHDL ?

What are the differences between them ?
Also what are the commonly available front end backend tools ?
[ Any link / tutorial would also be helpful ]

Please reply soon !

Thanks !!

 

[billjoy]

vlsi front end tools

Ans1.VLSI has no relationship with VHDL!
so compare VLSI/VHDL has no any meaning !
Ans2 : if you mean digital design
front end: nc-verilog/vcs/debussy.
backend: DC/PT/astro/laker/apollo.

 

[jas_bakshi]

mentor graphics front end tools

Hi

The frontend is writing RTL , linting and Verifying the RTL using testbenches and testcases.

Synthesis aids as an interface for frontend and backend.


Backend encompases ur static timing analysis,floorplanning,clock tree synthesis, layout,signal integrity issues,frormal verification etc.

As far as VHDL is concerned its scope lies under frontend only.Some simulators may be used for post layout simulation.

The vendors providing tools are :

Synopsys
Cadence
Magma
Tanner
Mentor Graphics
fintronics


bye,

 

[omara007]

back end tools vlsi

for the front end :
1- It starts from system-level description and verification, like extracting the architecture from an IEEE standard and modeling the system using C/C++/SystemC or Matlab.

2- Then the output of the modeling and verification, which is the test vectors, is passed to RTL team to design the hardware using any common HDL language like VHDL or Verilog. This designed hardware has be simulated using an HDL simulator like Mentor Graphics' Modelsim (commonly used) .. or any other RTL simulator/wave viewer from Cadence or Synopsis as mentioned before.

3- After the design is verified on the RTL level, it goes for Synthesis and Netlist generation. Most of the time, people use Design Compiler (by Synopsis) and some others use Leonardo (By Mentor) ..
Simply, u get the netlist out of this process (without more details), then pass it to the backend people.

That was the front end. For the backend people, they take the netlist with the timing inputs, then start layouting the chip in many steps .. the final output is the layout itself, which goes to the Fab House as a file called GDSII.

 

[nafaiz]

front end tools and backend tools in vlsi

i agree with omara007......credit to u by giving such short but compact answer.....

 

[clivechen]

what is backend in vlsi

Hi

The frontend is writing RTL , linting and Verifying the RTL using testbenches and testcases.

Synthesis aids as an interface for frontend and backend.


Backend encompases ur static timing analysis,floorplanning,clock tree synthesis, layout,signal integrity issues,frormal verification etc.

As far as VHDL is concerned its scope lies under frontend only.Some simulators may be used for post layout simulation.

The vendors providing tools are :

Synopsys
Cadence
Magma
Tanner
Mentor Graphics
fintronics


bye,

which tools does the fintronics provide?