Hierarchical, Layout-Aware, Radiation Effects Tools Vertically Integrated into an EDA Design Flow for Rad-Hard by Design

The goal of this workis to establish a radiation-aware capability in a commercial EDA design flow that will enable first-pass success in radiation resiliency for DoD ASIC designs in much the same way that existing EDA design suites ensure first pass functionality and performance success of complex ASICs destined for commercial applications.Such an integrated capability does not presently exist.The specifics proposed herein address the incorporation of radiation-inclusive compact models into a new circuit design tool, called VIRAD for Vertically-Integrated Radiation-Aware Design.This new tool will allow the prediction, during the design cycle, of radiation responses and failures prior to actual circuit fabrication in an advanced, or perhaps emerging, technology node.VIRAD will ultimately enable the optimization of complex designs for RHBD at a fraction of current resource expenditures by avoiding, or significantly reducing, the costly design-fabricate-test-redesign cycle that is customary in the radiation-hardened design community.