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| Acronym/Jargon | Means | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Back-Annotated (GL Simulation) | A gate-level (GL) simulation using extracted parasitics (thus, our netlist is "back-annotated" with the parasitics). This allows our simulation to capture the parasitics present in our final design, and give us confidence that our hardened design will still function as intended. | |
| BGA | Ball-Grid Array | An PGA IC packaging style where the leads are in the form of many balls on the underside of the chip. While they are much more difficult to solder than other packages (usually requiring specialized machines), they allow for more connections as a PGA style, and have on average shorted/wider connections to the die, allowing for better high-speed performance. |
| BIST | Built-In Self Test | Logic inside of an integrated circuit that tests the primary functionality of the circuit, allowing the IC to "test itself". BIST mechanisms are primarily used in places where safety and reliability are critical, such as automotive, aviation, and military applications. |
| BJT | Bipolar Junction Transistor | A type of transistor with either PNP or NPN layers of silicon, connecting the collector, emitter, and base. The base's purpose is to appropriately bias the middle junction such that a large number of charge carriers can flow from the emitter to the collector when turned on (electrons for NPN, holes for PNP). When compared to a MOSFET, while the base does use some current (as opposed to no current required for the gate of a MOSFET), a BJT is generally able to source more current than a MOSFET, with the current exponentially to the base voltage (as opposed to the quadratic relationship between gate voltage and MOSFET current). |
| Body Bias/Effect | An effect where a voltage difference on the body of a transistor (relative to the source) can change the threshold voltage of the transistor.
The reverse is also true (a higher voltage nMOS body/lower voltage pMOS body will lower the threshold voltage) | |
| Breadboard | Also known as "solderless breadboard", it is a white board with many holes where a user can place THT components. Knowing that the board connects the holes (power strips are connected bertically, other holes are connected horizontally, with the exception of across the main divide), one can use a breadboard to prototype a design. Breadboards rely entirely on friction for contact, allowing them to be reusable across designs. | |
| Buffer | A CMOS gate that passes the input value to the output. However, because CMOS gates actively drive the output, buffers are commonly used to restore signal strength, as well as to divide long interconnects to help improve transfer speed. They are used particularly in clock-tree synthesis (see CTS). |
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