Digital Logic Design

Boolean Algebra and Logic

Gate

January 27, 2025 1

 Algebras
 What is an algebra?
 Mathematical system consisting of
 Set of elements
 Set of operators
 Axioms or postulates
 Why is it important?
 Defines rules of “calculations”
 Example: arithmetic on natural numbers
 Set of elements: N = {1,2,3,4,…}
 Operator: +, –, *
 Axioms: associativity, distributivity, closure, identity elements,
etc.
 Note: operators with two inputs are called binary
 Does not mean they are restricted to binary numbers!
 Operator(s) with one input are called unary
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 BASIC DEFINITIONS
 A set is collection of having the same property.
 S: set, x and y: element or event
 For example: S = {1, 2, 3, 4}
 If x = 2, then xS.
 If y = 5, then y S.
 A binary operator defines on a set S of elements is a
rule that assigns, to each pair of elements from S, a
unique element from S.
 For example: given a set S, consider a*b = c and * is a binary
operator.
 If (a, b) through * get c and a, b, cS, then * is a binary
operator of S.
 On the other hand, if * is not a binary operator of S and a, bS,
then c  S.

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 BASIC DEFINITIONS
 The most common postulates used to formulate various
algebraic structures are as follows:
1. Closure: a set S is closed with respect to a binary operator if, for
every pair of elements of S, the binary operator specifies a rule for
obtaining a unique element of S.
 For example, natural numbers N={1,2,3,...} is closed w.r.t. the binary
operator + by the rule of arithmetic addition, since, for any a, bN, there
is a unique cN such that
 a+b = c
 But operator – is not closed for N, because 2-3 = -1 and 2, 3N, but (-1)N.
2. Associative law: a binary operator * on a set S is said to be
associative whenever
 (x * y) * z = x * (y * z) for all x, y, zS
 (x+y)+z = x+(y+z)
3. Commutative law: a binary operator * on a set S is said to be
commutative whenever
 x * y = y * x for all x, yS
 x+y = y+x
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 BASIC DEFINITIONS
4. Identity element: a set S is said to have an identity element with
respect to a binary operation * on S if there exists an element
eS with the property that
 e * x = x * e = x for every xS
 0+x = x+0 =x for every xI . I = {…, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, …}.
 1*x = x*1 =x for every xI. I = {…, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, …}.
5. Inverse: a set having the identity element e with respect to the
binary operator to have an inverse whenever, for every xS,
there exists an element yS such that
 x*y=e
 The operator + over I, with e = 0, the inverse of an element a is (-a), since
a+(-a) = 0.
6. Distributive law: if * and ． are two binary operators on a set S, *
is said to be distributive over . whenever
 x * (y ． z) = (x * y) ． (x * z)

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 George Boole
 Father of Boolean algebra
 He came up with a type of linguistic algebra, the three
most basic operations of which were (and still are) AND,
OR and NOT. It was these three functions that formed
the basis of his premise, and were the only operations
necessary to perform comparisons or basic
mathematical functions.
 Boole’s system (detailed in his 'An Investigation of the
Laws of Thought, on Which Are Founded the
Mathematical Theories of Logic and Probabilities',
1854) was based on a binary approach, processing only
two objects - the yes-no, true-false, on-off, zero-one
approach. George Boole (1815 - 1864)
 Surprisingly, given his standing in the academic
community, Boole's idea was either criticized or
completely ignored by the majority of his peers.
 Eventually, one bright student, Claude Shannon (1916-
2001), picked up the idea and ran with it

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 Axiomatic Definition of Boolean Algebra
 We need to define algebra for binary values
 Developed by George Boole in 1854
 Huntington postulates for Boolean algebra (1904):
 B = {0, 1} and two binary operations, + and ．
 Closure with respect to operator + and operator ·
 Identity element 0 for operator + and 1 for operator ·
 Commutativity with respect to + and ·
x+y = y+x, x·y = y·x
 Distributivity of · over +, and + over ·
x·(y+z) = (x·y)+(x·z) and x+(y·z) = (x+y)·(x+z)
 Complement for every element x is x’ with x+x’=1, x·x’=0
 There are at least two elements x,yB such that xy

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 Boolean Algebra
 Terminology:
 Literal: A variable or its complement
 Product term: literals connected by •
 Sum term: literals connected by +

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 Postulates of Two-Valued Boolean
Algebra
 B = {0, 1} and two binary operations, + and ．
 The rules of operations: AND 、 OR and NOT.

AND OR NOT
x y x．y x y x+y x x'
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0
1 0 0 1 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1. Closure (+ and‧)
2. The identity elements
(1) +: 0
(2) ． : 1

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Postulates of Two-Valued Boolean
Algebra
3. The commutative laws
4. The distributive laws

y+ x． x． (x ． y)+
x y z x．z
z (y+z) y (x ． z)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

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 Postulates of Two-Valued Boolean
Algebra
5. Complement
 x+x'=1 → 0+0'=0+1=1; 1+1'=1+0=1
 x ． x'=0 → 0 ． 0'=0 ． 1=0; 1 ． 1'=1 ． 0=0
6. Has two distinct elements 1 and 0, with 0 ≠ 1

 Note
 A set of two elements
 + : OR operation; ． : AND operation
 A complement operator: NOT operation
 Binary logic is a two-valued Boolean algebra

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Duality
 The principle of duality is an important concept. This
says that if an expression is valid in Boolean algebra,
the dual of that expression is also valid.
 To form the dual of an expression, replace all +
operators with . operators, all . operators with +
operators, all ones with zeros, and all zeros with ones.
 Form the dual of the expression
a + (bc) = (a + b)(a + c)
 Following the replacement rules…
a(b + c) = ab + ac
 Take care not to alter the location of the parentheses if
they are present.

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Basic Theorems

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 Boolean Theorems
 Huntington’s postulates define some rules
Post. 1:
closure
Post. 2:
(a) x+0=x, (b) x·1=x
Post. 3:
(a) x+y=y+x, (b) x·y=y·x
Post. 4:
(a) x(y+z) = xy+xz,
(b) x+yz = (x+y)(x+z)
 Need more rules to modify Post. 5: (a) x+x’=1, (b) x·x’=0
algebraic expressions
 Theorems that are derived from postulates
 What is a theorem?
 A formula or statement that is derived from
postulates (or other proven theorems)
 Basic theorems of Boolean algebra
 Theorem 1 (a): x + x = x (b): x · x = x
 Looks straightforward, but needs to be proven !
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 Proof of x+x=x
 We can only use Huntington postulates:
Huntington postulates:
Post. 2: (a) x+0=x, (b) x·1=x
Post. 3: (a) x+y=y+x, (b) x·y=y·x
Post. 4: (a) x(y+z) = xy+xz,
(b) x+yz = (x+y)(x+z)
Post. 5: (a) x+x’=1, (b) x·x’=0
 Show that x+x=x.
x+x = (x+x)·1 by 2(b)
= (x+x)(x+x’) by 5(a)
= x+xx’ by 4(b)
= x+0 by 5(b)
=x by 2(a)
Q.E.D.
 We can now use Theorem 1(a) in future proofs

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 Proof of x·x=x
 Similar to previous Huntington postulates:
proof
Post. 2: (a) x+0=x, (b) x·1=x
Post. 3: (a) x+y=y+x, (b) x·y=y·x
Post. 4: (a) x(y+z) = xy+xz,
(b) x+yz = (x+y)(x+z)
Post. 5: (a) x+x’=1, (b) x·x’=0
Th. 1: (a) x+x=x

 Show that x·x = x.

x·x = xx+0 by 2(a)
= xx+xx’ by 5(b)
= x(x+x’) by 4(a)
= x·1 by 5(a)
=x by 2(b)
Q.E.D.
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 Proof of x+1=1
 Theorem 2(a): x + 1 = 1 Huntington postulates:

x + 1 = 1 ． (x + 1) by 2(b) Post. 2: (a) x+0=x, (b) x·1=x

=(x + x')(x + 1) Post.
5(a) 3: (a) x+y=y+x, (b) x·y=y·x
Post. 4: (a) x(y+z) = xy+xz,
= x + x' 1 4(b) (b) x+yz = (x+y)(x+z)
= x + x' 2(b) 5: (a) x+x’=1, (b) x·x’=0
Post.
=1 Th.
5(a)1: (a) x+x=x
 Theorem 2(b): x ． 0 = 0 by duality
 Theorem 3: (x')' = x
 Postulate 5 defines the complement of x, x + x' = 1 and x x' = 0
 The complement of x' is x is also (x')'

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 Absorption Property (Covering)
 Huntington postulates:
Theorem 6(a): x + xy = x
 x + xy = x ． 1 + xy by 2(b) Post. 2: (a) x+0=x, (b) x·1=x
= x (1 + y) 4(a) Post. 3: (a) x+y=y+x, (b) x·y=y·x
= x (y + 1) 3(a) Post. 4: (a) x(y+z) = xy+xz,
=x．1 Th 2(a) (b) x+yz = (x+y)(x+z)
=x Post.
2(b) 5: (a) x+x’=1, (b) x·x’=0
Th. 1: (a) x+x=x
 Theorem 6(b): x (x + y) = x by duality
 By means of truth table (another way to proof )

x y xy x+x
y
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0
1 0 0 1
1 1 1 1
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 DeMorgan’s Theorem
 Theorem 5(a): (x + y)’ = x’y’
 Theorem 5(b): (xy)’ = x’ + y’
 By means of truth table

x y x’ y’ x+y (x+y) x’y’ xy x’+y' (xy)’

’
0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1
0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1
1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0

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 Consensus Theorem
1. xy + x’z + yz = xy + x’z
2. (x+y)•(x’+z)•(y+z) = (x+y)•(x’+z) -- (dual)
 Proof:
xy + x’z + yz = xy + x’z + (x+x’)yz
= xy + x’z + xyz + x’yz
= (xy + xyz) + (x’z + x’zy)
= xy + x’z
QED (2 true by duality).

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 Operator Precedence
 The operator precedence for evaluating Boolean
Expression is
 Parentheses
 NOT
 AND
 OR
 Examples
 x y' + z
 (x y + z)'

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 Boolean Functions
 A Boolean function
 Binary variables
 Binary operators OR and AND
 Unary operator NOT
 Parentheses
 Examples
 F1= x y z'
 F2 = x + y'z
 F3 = x' y' z + x' y z + x y'
 F4 = x y' + x' z

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 Boolean Functions
 The truth table of 2n entries

x y z F1 F2 F3 F4
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 1 1 1
0 1 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 1 1
1 0 0 0 1 1 1
1 0 1 0 1 1 1
1 1 0 1 1 0 0
1 1 1 0 1 0 0

 Two Boolean expressions may specify the same function

 F3 = F4
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 Boolean Functions
 Implementation with logic gates
 F4 is more economical

F2 = x + y'z

F3 = x' y' z + x' y z + x y'

F4 = x y' + x' z

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Algebraic Manipulation
 To minimize Boolean expressions
 Literal: a primed or unprimed variable (an input to a gate)
 Term: an implementation with a gate
 The minimization of the number of literals and the number of
terms → a circuit with less equipment
 It is a hard problem (no specific rules to follow)
 Example 2.1
1. x(x'+y) = xx' + xy = 0+xy = xy
2. x+x'y = (x+x')(x+y) = 1 (x+y) = x+y
3. (x+y)(x+y') = x+xy+xy'+yy' = x(1+y+y') = x
4. xy + x'z + yz = xy + x'z + yz(x+x') = xy + x'z + yzx + yzx' =
xy(1+z) + x'z(1+y) = xy +x'z
5. (x+y)(x'+z)(y+z) = (x+y)(x'+z), by duality from function 4.
(consensus theorem with duality)

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 Complement of a Function
 An interchange of 0's for 1's and 1's for 0's in the value
of F
 By DeMorgan's theorem
 (A+B+C)' = (A+X)' let B+C = X
= A'X' by theorem 5(a) (DeMorgan's)
= A'(B+C)' substitute B+C = X
= A'(B'C') by theorem 5(a) (DeMorgan's)
= A'B'C' by theorem 4(b) (associative)
 Generalizations: a function is obtained by interchanging
AND and OR operators and complementing each literal.
 (A+B+C+D+ ... +F)' = A'B'C'D'... F'
 (ABCD ... F)' = A'+ B'+C'+D' ... +F'

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Examples
 Example 2.2
 F1' = (x'yz' + x'y'z)' = (x'yz')' (x'y'z)' = (x+y'+z) (x+y+z')
 F2' = [x(y'z'+yz)]' = x' + (y'z'+yz)' = x' + (y'z')' (yz)‘
= x' + (y+z) (y'+z')
= x' + yz‘+y'z
 Example 2.3: a simpler procedure
 Take the dual of the function and complement each literal
1. F1 = x'yz' + x'y'z.
The dual of F1 is (x'+y+z') (x'+y'+z).
Complement each literal: (x+y'+z)(x+y+z') = F1'
2. F2 = x(y' z' + yz).
The dual of F2 is x+(y'+z') (y+z).
Complement each literal: x'+(y+z)(y' +z') = F2'
January 27, 2025 27
 2.6 Canonical and Standard Forms
Minterms and Maxterms
 A minterm (standard product): an AND term consists of
all literals in their normal form or in their complement
form.
 For example, two binary variables x and y,
 xy, xy', x'y, x'y'
 It is also called a standard product.
 n variables con be combined to form 2n minterms.
 A maxterm (standard sums): an OR term
 It is also call a standard sum.
 2n maxterms.

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Minterms and Maxterms
 Each maxterm is the complement of its corresponding
minterm, and vice versa.

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Minterms and Maxterms
 An Boolean function can be expressed by
 A truth table
 Sum of minterms
 f1 = x'y'z + xy'z' + xyz = m1 + m4 +m7 (Minterms)
 f2 = x'yz+ xy'z + xyz'+xyz = m3 + m5 +m6 + m7 (Minterms)

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Minterms and Maxterms
 The complement of a Boolean function
 The minterms that produce a 0
 f1' = m0 + m2 +m3 + m5 + m6 = x'y'z'+x'yz'+x'yz+xy'z+xyz'
 f1 = (f1')'
= (x+y+z)(x+y'+z) (x+y'+z') (x'+y+z')(x'+y'+z) = M0 M2
M3 M5 M6
 f2 = (x+y+z)(x+y+z')(x+y'+z)(x'+y+z)=M0M1M2M4
 Any Boolean function can be expressed as
 A sum of minterms (“sum” meaning the ORing of terms).
 A product of maxterms (“product” meaning the ANDing of
terms).
 Both boolean functions are said to be in Canonical form.

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Sum of Minterms
 Sum of minterms: there are 2n minterms and 22n
combinations of function with n Boolean variables.
 Example 2.4: express F = A+BC' as a sum of minterms.
 F = A+B'C = A (B+B') + B'C = AB +AB' + B'C = AB(C+C') +
AB'(C+C') + (A+A')B'C = ABC+ABC'+AB'C+AB'C'+A'B'C
 F = A'B'C +AB'C' +AB'C+ABC'+ ABC = m1 + m4 +m5 + m6 + m7
 F(A, B, C) = (1, 4, 5, 6, 7)
 or, built the truth table first

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 Product of Maxterms
 Product of maxterms: using distributive law to expand.
 x + yz = (x + y)(x + z) = (x+y+zz')(x+z+yy') = (x+y+z)(x+y+z')
(x+y'+z)
 Example 2.5: express F = xy + x'z as a product of
maxterms.
 F = xy + x'z = (xy + x')(xy +z) = (x+x')(y+x')(x+z)(y+z) = (x'+y)
(x+z)(y+z)
 x'+y = x' + y + zz' = (x'+y+z)(x'+y+z')
 F = (x+y+z)(x+y'+z)(x'+y+z)(x'+y+z') = M0M2M4M5
 F(x, y, z) = (0, 2, 4, 5)

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Conversion between Canonical Forms
 The complement of a function expressed as the sum of
minterms equals the sum of minterms missing from the
original function.
 F(A, B, C) = (1, 4, 5, 6, 7)
 Thus, F'(A, B, C) = (0, 2, 3)
 By DeMorgan's theorem
F(A, B, C) = (0, 2, 3)
F'(A, B, C) =(1, 4, 5, 6, 7)
 mj' = Mj
 Sum of minterms = product of maxterms
 Interchange the symbols  and  and list those numbers
missing from the original form
  of 1's
  of 0's

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 Example
 F = xy + xz
 F(x, y, z) = (1, 3, 6, 7)
 F(x, y, z) =  (0, 2, 4, 6)

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 Standard Forms
 Canonical forms are very seldom the ones with the
least number of literals.
 Standard forms: the terms that form the function may
obtain one, two, or any number of literals.
 Sum of products: F1 = y' + xy+ x'yz'
 Product of sums: F2 = x(y'+z)(x'+y+z')
 F3 = A'B'CD+ABC'D'

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 Implementation
 Two-level implementation

F1 = y' + xy+ x'yz' F2 = x(y'+z)(x'+y+z')

 Multi-level implementation

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 2.7 Other Logic Operations (
 2n rows in the truth table of n binary variables.
 22n functions for n binary variables.
 16 functions of two binary variables.

 All the new symbols except for the exclusive-OR

symbol are not in common use by digital designers.
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Boolean Expressions

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2.8 Digital Logic Gates
 Boolean expression: AND, OR and NOT operations
 Constructing gates of other logic operations
 The feasibility and economy;
 The possibility of extending gate's inputs;
 The basic properties of the binary operations (commutative and
associative);
 The ability of the gate to implement Boolean functions.

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 Standard Gates
 Consider the 16 functions in Table 2.8 (slide 33)
 Two are equal to a constant (F0 and F15).
 Four are repeated twice (F4, F5, F10 and F11).
 Inhibition (F2) and implication (F13) are not commutative or
associative.
 The other eight: complement (F12), transfer (F3), AND (F1), OR
(F7), NAND (F14), NOR (F8), XOR (F6), and equivalence
(XNOR) (F9) are used as standard gates.
 Complement: inverter.
 Transfer: buffer (increasing drive strength).
 Equivalence: XNOR.

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Summary of Logic Gates

January 27, 2025 Figure 2.5 Digital logic gates 42

 Summary of Logic Gates

January 27, 2025

Figure 2.5 Digital logic gates 43
 Multiple Inputs
 Extension to multiple inputs
 A gate can be extended to multiple inputs.
 If its binary operation is commutative and associative.
 AND and OR are commutative and associative.
 OR
 x+y = y+x
 (x+y)+z = x+(y+z) = x+y+z
 AND
 xy = yx
 (x y)z = x(y z) = x y z

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Multiple Inputs
 NAND and NOR are commutative but not associative → they
are not extendable.

Figure 2.6 Demonstrating the nonassociativity of the NOR operator;

(x ↓ y) ↓ z ≠ x ↓(y ↓ z)
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Multiple Inputs
 Multiple NOR = a complement of OR gate, Multiple NAND = a
complement of AND.
 The cascaded NAND operations = sum of products.
 The cascaded NOR operations = product of sums.

Figure 2.7 Multiple-input and cascated NOR and NAND gates

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Multiple Inputs
 The XOR and XNOR gates are commutative and associative.
 Multiple-input XOR gates are uncommon?
 XOR is an odd function: it is equal to 1 if the inputs variables
have an odd number of 1's.

January 27, 2025 Figure 2.8 3-input XOR gate 47

Positive and Negative Logic
 Positive and Negative Logic
 Two signal values <=> two logic
values
 Positive logic: H=1; L=0
 Negative logic: H=0; L=1
 Consider a TTL gate
 A positive logic AND gate
 A negative logic OR gate
 The positive logic is used in this
book

Figure 2.9 Signal assignment and logic polarity

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Positive and Negative Logic

January 27, 2025

Figure 2.10 Demonstration of positive and negative logic 49
 2.9 Integrated Circuits
Level of Integration
 An IC (a chip)
 Examples:
 Small-scale Integration (SSI): < 10 gates
 Medium-scale Integration (MSI): 10 ~ 100 gates
 Large-scale Integration (LSI): 100 ~ xk gates
 Very Large-scale Integration (VLSI): > xk gates
 VLSI
 Small size (compact size)
 Low cost
 Low power consumption
 High reliability
 High speed

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 Digital Logic Families
 Digital logic families: circuit technology
 TTL: transistor-transistor logic (dying?)
 ECL: emitter-coupled logic (high speed, high power
consumption)
 MOS: metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS, high density)
 CMOS: complementary MOS (low power)
 BiCMOS: high speed, high density

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 Digital Logic Families
 The characteristics of digital logic families
 Fan-out: the number of standard loads that the output of a
typical gate can drive.
 Power dissipation.
 Propagation delay: the average transition delay time for the
signal to propagate from input to output.
 Noise margin: the minimum of external noise voltage that
caused an undesirable change in the circuit output.

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CAD
 CAD – Computer-Aided Design
 Millions of transistors
 Computer-based representation and aid
 Automatic the design process
 Design entry
 Schematic capture
 HDL – Hardware Description Language
 Verilog, VHDL
 Simulation
 Physical realization
 ASIC, FPGA, PLD

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 Chip Design
 Why is it better to have more gates on a single chip?
 Easier to build systems
 Lower power consumption
 Higher clock frequencies

 What are the drawbacks of large circuits?

 Complex to design
 Chips have design constraints
 Hard to test

 Need tools to help develop integrated circuits

 Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools
 Automate tedious steps of design process
 Hardware description language (HDL) describe circuits
 VHDL (see the lab) is one such system
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