This paper describes a variation-robust transceiver with four-tap feed-forward equalization (FFE) and real-time calibration techniques. The design adopts the common-mode balanced and robust FFE (CMBB-FFE), which improves the previous current-mode coefficient-error-robust FFE (B-FFE) to achieve the consistent common-mode level across data patterns and support voltage mode operation. The real-time receiver calibration method adjusts sampling threshold voltages and clock phases in the middle of normal link operation, to enhance the sampling margin under dynamic drifting conditions. The transceiver test chip is fabricated in a 28-nm CMOS process. It occupies 0.419 mm$^{\mathbf {2}}$, achieving 20 Gb/s with 9.82-pJ /bit energy efficiency and 33.3% wider horizontal eye-opening by adopting the CMBB-FFE and real-time calibration techniques.

This article presents an automatic layout generation framework in advanced CMOS technologies. The framework extends the template-and-grid-based layout generation methodology to produce optimal layouts more efficiently. Layout templates and grids are dynamically created and adjusted during the generation phase to provide more reusability and flexibility. Virtual instances are used to encapsulate the dynamically generated layout structures. Internal node probes embedded in the dynamic templates capture parasitic effects precisely. The framework also implements various post-processing functions to handle process-specific tasks while maintaining the overall process portability of procedural layout generators. The post-processing functions include cut/dummy pattern generation and multiple-patterning adjustment. The generator description coverage is enhanced with circular grid indexing/slicing and conditional conversion operators. The layout generation framework is applied to generate various DRC/LVS clean layouts automatically in advanced CMOS technologies, achieving 0.66–249.35 transistors-per-line (the ratio of the generated transistor count to the source lines of code) generation efficiencies.