Low Power Design Essentials contains all the topics of importance to the low power designer. The book lays the foundation with background chapters entitled “Advanced MOS Transistors and Their Models” and “Power Basics”. These chapters are followed by chapters on the design process including: optimization, architecture and algorithm level, memory, run time, standby logic, and standby memory. Chapters on special topics are also included: power management and modal design, ultra low power, and low power design methodology and flows. The book concludes with a chapter on case studies as well as a chapter on “Projection into the Future”.

These chapters are all based on the extensive amount of teaching that the author has carried out both at universities and companies worldwide. All chapters have been drawn up specifically for self-study. They aim, however, at different levels of understanding. All the chapters start with elementary material, but most also contain advanced material. A new format is used for this book. All slides are included on a CD-ROM, as PDF files and are reproduced in the book, followed by the comments normally given by the teacher. This is advantageous in that the material used for teaching is also the material used by the student, and that only one additional aspect is explained per slide. The student can therefore easily monitor their progress. It is hoped that this new format provides a better structure in both teaching and studying these essential topics.