Are you trying to develop electronics for a specific application? Are you looking for a chip that can combine different circuits for better functionality? Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) is what you need.
ASICs are specially designed chips that perform a specific function and are optimized for low-power consumption and high performance. They are used to build custom chips tailored for a specific application, making them ideal for industrial, military, communication, and automotive industries.
There are two types of ASICs; Full custom and Standard Cell ASIC. Choosing whether to use Full custom or Standard cell can be a bit confusing, especially for people who are new to ASICs. But don't worry, we’ve got your back. In this post, we'll be comparing Full custom ASICs and Standard cell ASICs to understand their strengths, weaknesses and when one is more suitable over the other.
Full custom ASICs
Full custom ASICs are designed from scratch, using a unique process that enables developers to optimize circuits' performance, power, and area for their specific application. In Full custom, designers have unrestricted freedom, which allows them to create complex and unique designs that can't be made with standard cell circuits.
Full custom designs require extensive knowledge, time, and resources to develop, making them expensive. However, Full custom ASICs can be beneficial as they offer smaller footprint, higher performance, and lower power consumption. Full custom ASICs also have higher immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and high reliability, which makes them suitable for high-reliability applications like automotive, military, and aerospace industries.
Standard cell ASICs
Standard cell ASICs are pre-designed and mass-produced chips that developers can buy off-the-shelf. They are created using a standard set of building blocks, such as gates, flip-flops and memory, that can be combined to create a custom design.
Standard cell design has a shorter development time and is less expensive, but the design options are limited. Standard cell circuits have a lower power-to-performance ratio and a larger footprint than Full custom. Standard cell circuits also have lower immunity to EMI, which can cause design issues in critical applications.
When to use Full custom ASICs vs Standard cell ASICs
Choosing between a Full custom ASICs and a standard cell ASICs depends on your application's requirements and development budget.
Full custom ASICs are ideal when you need a high-performance, low-power, and reliable circuit with a small footprint. Full custom ASICs are best suited for high-reliability applications that need low power consumption, high speed, and moderate complexity.
On the other hand, Standard cell ASICs are best for low-to-medium-complexity designs that need to be developed quickly and cost-effectively. Standard cell ASICs are best suited for applications that require moderate to high power consumption and moderate to low-speed processing.
Conclusion
Choosing between Full custom and Standard cell ASICs depends on your design requirements, development budget, and development time. Full custom ASICs offer higher performance, smaller footprint, and lower power consumption, but they are more expensive and require extensive development knowledge, making them best suited for high-reliability applications.
Standard cell ASICs offer a quicker development time, lower development costs, and are best suited for low- to medium-complexity designs that do not require the highest performance or reliability.
That’s it for this post! We hope this comparison was helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below.
References
- "ASIC Design Flow" by Intel FPGA. https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/programmable/custom-solutions/asic-design.html
- "Custom ASIC vs. Standard Product ASIC: Which Way to Go" by Hackster.io. https://www.hackster.io/news/custom-asic-vs-standard-product-asic-which-way-to-go-008d05b27053
- "Understanding ASIC Technology" by Electronic Design. https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/test-measurement/article/21798789/understanding-asic-technology