Reading Process of Integrated Circuit Layout Debugging: Evidence from Eye Movements

Abstract:

Finding bugs in CMOS Integrated Circuit (IC) layouts is a basic skill for IC design engineers and students alike. The reading process of finding bugs is the basis for learning and teaching in electronic engineering. In this pilot study, eye-movement data was used in analyzing the reading process and nature of five participants (N=5) finding bugs in CMOS layouts. Data analysis of eye movements was based on nine types of ROI (Region of Interest). The ANOVA analysis of eye movements was analyzed. The findings of experimental results included that there were significant differences among the number of fixations of nine types of ROIs. The findings suggest how learners could read the bugged IC layouts effectively and efficiently.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 787)
• Pages: 855-860
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.787.855
• Online since: September 2013
• Authors: Hong Fa Ho
• Keywords: CMOS Logic Circuit, Eye Movement, IC Layout, Reading Process

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