Automated topology synthesis of analog and RF integrated circuits: A survey

The puzzle of automatically synthesizing analog and radio frequency (RF) circuit topology has not yet been offered with an industrially-acceptable solution although endeavors still continue to seek a conquest in this area. This survey provides a comprehensive study of the techniques utilized for this purpose. The existing methods are analyzed from four different viewpoints, namely, structural view, conceptual view, implementation view, and application view. Different schemes are perused with their advantages and drawbacks discussed in the context of balanced performance between configuration-space coverage and search efficiency. Some prospective trends are pointed out to shed light on the upcoming research activities.