Semi-custom (cell-based) Design Approach

Standard cell designs use a set of well-proven logic cells on the chip, much in the way that previous generations of standard logic have been used as board-level products, such as Texas Instruments' System 74.

Discrete Logic Gates: Semi-custom design puts millions of them all on one die.

A library of standard logic functions is provided. Cells are placed on the chip and wired up by the user, in the same way that chips are placed on the PCB.

• Standard Cell - free placement and free routing of nets,
• Gate Array - fixed placement, masked or electrical programmable wiring.