PROGRAMMABLE ANALOG ARRAY AND METHOD

A system for laying out a capacitor array (400) implements a programmable capacitor (33-39) whose operation is controlled with a binary control word. A programmable capacitance is produced by coupling binary weighted, switchable capacitors (101-107) between terminals (51, 52) of the programmable capacitor. The capacitor array includes two or more unit capacitors (101, 103) of unequal areas. The other capacitors in the array are derived by interconnecting multiple capacitors that match one of the unit capacitors. Die area is reduced while accuracy is maintained by controlling the larger unit capacitor with the least significant bit of the binary control word whenever possible and using the smaller unit capacitor only as a trim capacitor.