With　the　rapid　development　of　science　and　technology,　integrated　circuit　(IC)　plays　an　increasingly　important　role　in　our　daily　life.　Moreover,　due　to　the　increasing　reduction　of　chip　process　size,　the　IC　had　greatly　improved　on　its　integration　and　performance.　However,　because　of　the　improvement　of　the　system　complexity　and　the　widely　applied　to　various　mobile　devices,　power　consumption　becomes　an　important　limitation　of　the　development　in　chip　design.　Power　consumption　not　only　affects　the　chip　package　type　and　cost,　but　also　causes　the　increasing　of　chip　temperature,　which　will　directly　affect　the　reliability　of　chips.　On　the　other　hand,　high　power　consumption　will　also　harm　the　stability　of　chips.　Low　power　design　are　becoming　more　and　more　imminent,　so　low-power　design　are　becoming　a　tendency　of　designing　digital　integrated　circuits.　This　paper　firstly　introduces　the　importance　of　nowadays　IC　research,　some　background　principles　and　research　process　of　integrated　circuits,　then　analyses　the　current　challenges　of　designing　low-power　ICs　and　also　research　the　power　consumption　of　digital　integrated　circuits,　later　explores　and　analyses　the　low-power　design　methods　in　two　different　ways.　And　finally　summarize　the　research　status　on　low-power　design　circuits　with　some　relevant　personal　views　and　the　vision　to　the　future　are　also　put　forward.　©　Published　under　licence　by　IOP　Publishing　Ltd.