Circuit-Simulation-Based Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm for Design Optimization of a-Si:H TFTs Gate Driver Circuits Under Multilevel Clock Driving

Abstract

This work optimizes dynamic characteristic of a new amorphous silicon gate (ASG) driver circuit using multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) TFT circuit simulator running on the platform of unified optimization framework (UOF). The ASG driver circuit consisting of 17 a-Si:H TFTs is optimized for the given specifications of the fall time <3 mu s and the ripple voltage < - 9 V while simultaneously minimizing the total layout area. More than 50% reductions on the fall time of the ASG driver circuit have been achieved by using the optimization methodology together with a novel three-level clock driving technique. The measured results of the fabricated sample using the optimized parameters confirm the practicability of reported MOEA methodology.