Electric represents all distances in dimensionless units. A transistor that is 2 x 3 in size is actually stored in memory as 2 x 3. To convert these units to real distances, each technology has a scale, measured in nanometers (billionths of a meter). The scale of a technology is shown in the status area after the technology's name.

For example, if the scale for the MOSIS CMOS ("mocmos") technology is 200 nanometers, then a 2 x 3 transistor is actually 400 x 600 nanometers (or 0.4 x 0.6 microns).

To set the scale, use the Scale Preferences (in menu File / Preferences..., "Technology section, "Scale" tab). Scale only applies to integrated-circuit layout technologies. There is no scale for Schematics, Artwork, and other nonlayout technologies. |