This document provides an overview of using Tanner Tools for digital circuit design and simulation. It discusses the objectives of using Tanner Tools, which includes getting experience with design, simulation, and layout of digital logic circuits. It then describes the key components of Tanner Tools, including L-Edit for layout, S-Edit for schematic entry, and T-Spice for simulation. The document walks through creating a basic inverter design in S-Edit, setting up a test bench simulation, and analyzing the output waveform to determine propagation delay. It also discusses best practices for file organization and management when using Tanner Tools.

1. ECE122 – Digital Electronics & Design
Tanner Tools Tutorial
Ritu Bajpai

2. Objective of the lab
● To develop an understanding of design and
simulation of digital logic circuits.
● To get a basic understanding of layout of
electronic circuits.
● We will use Tanner tools for design and
simulation.
● This lab introduces us to Tanner tools.

3. Introduction to Tanner tools
● Tanner tool- simulation tool for the class
● Upgraded from last year
● Some slides may look different as you will
see on your computer
● Slides will be updated to correspond with the
new version of Tanner as we advance into
the semester

4. Tanner tools consists of the following
L-Edit: Layout editing
LVS: Layout vs. Schematic
S-Edit: Schematic Entry
T-Spice: Simulation
W-Edit: Waveform formatting

5. This is S-Edit

6. For creating new design go
File->New->New design

7. Enter design name and the folder name where you
want to save your work.

8. Recommendations
● Make a new folder in your name and always
save all your work there.
● Use same system each time so that you
don’t have to transfer your old files to another
system if needed.
● Create a backup of your work if needed as
the lab computers are formatted from time to
time.

9. Now go to Cell->New View

10. Hit OK to start with new cell schematic design

11. Levels of design in S-Edit
● The highest level in the S-Edit design
hierarchy is the design file. Files contain
modules, which can contain primitive objects
or reference to other modules.
● A module can further have pages.
● S-Edit has 2 viewing modes, Schematic
mode and Symbol mode. We can switch
between 2 modes using the tabs in the tool
bar or using a question mark (?).

12. Select tool Draw wire
Cap Node
Label Node

13. For more help with S-Edit go to
Help->Tutorial

14. Library file path
C:DesktopStudentMy DocumentsTanner
EDATanner Tools
v15.0ProcessGeneric_250nmGeneric_250nm.tanner
Click here to
add libraries
Browse the library file from the path above and hit OK.
There are other libraries in the process folder. Feel free to add
them and see what components they have. For example we
will add spice_components and spice_commands from the
library “standard_library”.

15. Now we will instance first element
NMOS from the library Devices and hit
done.

16. Some useful tips
● To move an object: Use center wheel of the
mouse.
● For zoom in and zoom out use + and –
respectively from the key board.
● To view/edit object properties, select object
and use CTRL+E.
● Do not use space in your design names.
● Do not use special characters in port names.

17. Introduction to MOSFET
● A MOSFET can be
• PMOS
• NMOS
● A MOSFET is a four terminal device. Four
terminals are:
• Gate
• Drain
• Source
• Bulk
● A MOSFET is symmetrical device unlike a
BJT which means either terminal can be
drain or source unless connected in a circuit.

18. Introduction to MOSFET
● For a PMOS source is always connected to
highest voltage in the circuit.
● For an NMOS source is always connected to
lowest voltage in a circuit.
● The bulk is always shorted to the source for
both devices.

19. Introduction to MOSFET
● The bulk terminal is identified by an arrow.
● We can distinguish PMOS symbol from
NMOS symbol as follows:
• PMOS bulk has arrow coming out .
• NMOS bulk has arrow going in. (Tip: remember
‘in’ sounds like N.)
• PMOS gate has a bubble attached to it.
● There can be different symbols for PMOS
and NMOS for example the bulk may not be
shown but the above points hold good for the
MOSFETS we will be using from SCMOS
library in S-Edit.

20. Schematic design of an inverter
● Today we will design an inverter schematic in
S-Edit.
● In this class we will design CMOS based
logic circuits.
● Thus an inverter consists of a PMOS and an
NMOS connected in series with PMOS
source connected to Vdd and NMOS source
connected to Gnd.
● Input is applied at the gates.
● Output is collected from the drains which are
connected together.

21. Vdd from library Misc
Gnd from library Misc
PMOS from library
Devices
Input port
Output port

22. Now we are ready
to create a symbol
for the schematic
design

23. Draw the symbol of the module which clearly
represents the function if possible.

24. Create a new design file just as you did for
inverter now to make the schematic for the
inverter test bench.

25. Add libraries and make sure you also add inverter as
a library so that you can instance it.
Voltage
sources from
spice elements
library
Print voltage probe from spice
commands

26. Voltage source properties can be
modifies from here

27. Now we will set up the simulation settings
Click to pop
up the set up
window
Browse the library file
My DocumentsTanner EDATanner Tools
v15.0ProcessGeneric_250nm_TechGeneri
c_250nm.lib. Add a space followed by
letters TT at the end of the path. This is
must for spice to recognize this path.
Select
Transient/Fourier
analysis
Hit OK and click the green play button on the top left

29. Types of analysis
● DC Operating Point Analysis.
● DC Transfer Analysis.
● Transient Analysis.
● AC Analysis.
● Transient Analysis, Powerup Mode.
● Noise Analysis.

30. Types of analysis
● DC operating point analysis: It finds the
circuit’s steady-state condition, obtained (in
principle) after the input voltages have been
applied for an infinite amount of time.
● DC Transfer Analysis: It is used to study the
voltage or current at one set of points in a
circuit as a function of the voltage or current
at another set of points. This is done by
sweeping the source variables over specified
ranges, and recording the output.

31. Types of Analysis
● Transient Analysis: It provides information on
how circuit elements vary with time.
● AC Analysis: It characterizes the circuit’s
behavior dependence on small signal input
frequency.
● Transient Analysis power up mode: Some
circuits do not have a DC steady state so it is
difficult to specify there initial state. This is
done using power up option of the .tran
command. It sets entire circuit to zero for
time equal to 0.

33. Propagation Delay
● Propagation Delay is the amount of time it
takes a change of input to appear as a change
on the output.
● Propagation Delay is measured from the 50%
point on the input signal to the 50% point on
the output.
Input
Output
tpHL

34. Transition time
● High-low and low high transition times at the
output of a gate are defined as tHL and tLH
between the 10% and 90% points.
tLH
10%
90%
tHL
10%
90%

35. Gate Delay
● The load capacitance severely affects the
gate delay.
Inv1
Inv2

36. Simulating NAND gate
● Next we will make a NAND gate using p and
n MOSFET and test its performance.

38. Note parameters
W=2.50u and L=0.25u

40. NAND GATE
TEST BENCH FOR THE NAND GATE
NAND GATE
TEST BENCH FOR NAND GATE
NAND GATE
TEST BENCH FOR NAND GATE

42. tpHL

43. Record the propagation delay
● Record tpHL and tpLH for the NAND gate.
● Record the waveform for the same.

44. Lab Reports
● Strictly adhere to the lab report format and
other instructions on the website
● No late submissions without prior permission