1.1 ASICs

ASICs are Application Specific Integrated Circuit devices, and they are mentioned here because they are user-definable devices. Unlike other devices, ASICs may contain analog, digital or combinations of analog and digital functions. In general, they are mask‑programmable and not user‑programmable. This means that manufacturers configure the devices according to user specifications. ASICs are used to combine a large number of logic functions into a single device. However, these devices have a high initial cost; therefore, they are mainly used in high-volume applications. Due to the nature of ASICs, CUPL and other similar programmable logic languages cannot support these devices.