CSCI8750 - Principles of VLSI Systems Design
Instructor: Jeffrey W. Smith
Spring 2003

Prerequisites: CS 6720 and CS 6370.

Methods and computer tools used in the design of integrated electronic devices: layout, simulate, verify, and performance. Students will do a project design (CS 6720 is a meaningful prereq. You need to know about computer systems. CS 6730 is not really necessary, just so you are familiar with files.)

Text (recommended):

Rabaey, DIGITAL INTEGRATED CIRCUITS, P-H, 1996.

VLSI design and implementation methods have made possible the revolutionary rise in function/cost (known in the industry as bang/buck) of computing and all other electronic equipment in recent years. This is one of the world's largest AND fastest-growing industries (it is generally referred to as the 'semiconductor industry'), offering employment with established companies or startups, entrepreneurial opportunities, and wide scope for research and discovery.

In CS8750, the METHODS of integrated design as exemplified by design tools (computer programs) are examined. Once some mastery of these computer-aided design (CAD) tools is obtained, an example design (or portion of one) is undertaken. We have available CAD programs from other universities in the US (UC Berkeley, Carnegie-Mellon, Caltech) and overseas (U of Paris). These tools enable us to go through a complete design process in the UNIX environment, including entering the design, displaying the resulting layout on a color workstation, verifying its operation with a simulator, measuring its performance with a timing analyzer, and translating the format to one that could be transmitted to a foundry. Transmit to a foundry means that we could actually MAKE A CHIP from the design. We do not usually do this in CS8750; the time constraints make it difficult and our primary objective is more to learn HOW CHIPS ARE DESIGNED rather than to design chips.

CS8750 does assume that you are familiar with digital systems components and terminology as presented in CS6720, but there are no other expectations. The CS8750 course is nearly self-contained. This is NOT a typical 8xxx course. We will read a book & do assignments, but there is little/no reading of the primary literature, there are few/no presentations by students. The objective is to learn HOW IC's ARE DESIGNED, (starting from scratch) and that takes up the term.