Efficient Spectral Techniques for Logic Synthesis

Spectral methods have been used for logic design for many years. However, their use was limited to the synthesis and optimization of small digital circuits, due to the enormous complexity in computing the spectra of large logic functions. Recent developments in design automation and logic synthesis have prompted a new look at these methods, with emphasis on developing efficient computational procedures so that these powerful but complex methods can be used for the synthesis and optimization of larger logic networks. In this article we review the fundamentals of spectral design methods and present some new techniques that make application of such techniques to practical problems feasible.