As integrated circuit technology continues to get more sophisticated and ever smaller in scale, the standard analog integrated circuit design of yesterday is giving way to mixed signal IC design. An archetype of the state of electronics today is an integrated circuit chip which incorporates both analog and digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry. In mixed signal design, both sides play an equally important role. The analog portion, processing AC signals, offers the ability to interact with real world energy like sound, light, and heat.

In integrated circuits of mixed signal design, analog circuit engineers use buffers, amplifiers, mixers, modulators, and so forth to prepare the signal to be digitized by an analog to digital converter (ADC). The DSP side, processing only these pulsed samples of the original signal, has the advantage of being able to process hundreds of millions of operations per second ... important in a world where consumers don't want to wait. When needing analog and mixed-signal design services, consider the following:

1. Buy integrated circuits of both analog and mixed signal design.

2. Get software tools that will enable you to provide analog and mixed-signal design services.

3. Find available analog and mixed signal design services.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy integrated circuits of analog and mixed signal design

The functionality you need in an analog mixed signal IC design can commonly be found to be already available on the market.

I recommend: Jameco Electronics has a collection of mixed signal integrated circuits from which to choose. East Texas Integrated Circuits provides full custom ASICs, which would include mixed signal ICs.

Do your own analog circuit design work and mixed signal circuit design work

Performing the design work will require software tools that will enable you to optimize component values and to simulate the design and verify proper operation.

I recommend: Tanner EDA offers software that will enable you to design and verify your own mixed-signal ICs. Cadence has the SoC Encounter RTL-to-GDSII System software package that is for designing mixed signal integrated circuits.

Outsource to an experienced mixed signal designer

As design of mixed signal integrated circuits can be a daunting task depending on how many sub-circuits there are and the overall complexity of what you're trying to accomplish, you may elect to hire a team of professionals to do the work for you.

I recommend: Cadence offers many years of experience in analog and mixed signal design work. KT Micro also offers analog and mixed signal design services and claims to have a proven design flow. Forza Silicon provides engineering services and will design mixed signal ICs either on contract or for royalties or a combination of the two.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  One of the most important aspects of mixed signal design is correct placement of components. This has a significant impact on how well analog signals will flow throughout the integrated circuit or the PCB. It also affects how the planes are split between the analog signal flow and the DSP signal flow in the interest of preventing bleed-over between the two.