Design and Implementation

of VLSI Systems
Lecture 01

Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications,

University of Science, VNU HCMUS

Ref: Sherief Reda, Division of Engineering, Brown University

CONTENT

1 Introduction

2 VLSI Design Flow

3 Class logistics

2
CONTENT

1 Introduction

2 VLSI Design Flow

3 Class logistics

3
 IC
 An IC (Integrated circuit) or chip is a set of electronic
circuits on one small flat piece of semiconductor material,
normally silicon

Intel CPU 4
VLSI
 VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) is the process of
creating an integrated circuit (IC) by combining billions of
transistors.

 Inside an IC

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HOW DOES AN IC DIE LOOK LIKE FROM THE
INSIDE?

wire

transistors

R. Noyce J. Kilby
TRANSISTOR + WIRE
1.Transistors 2. Wires

nMOS

=
design
pMOS

Circuits

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CMOS logic gates
TECHNOLOGY SCALING
If a pond lily doubles everyday and it takes 30 days to completely
cover a pond, on what day will the pond be 1/2 covered?

Moore’s Law. The number of transistors in an integrated

circuit doubles every 2 years.

Quad core
from Intel:
~600 million
transistors in
286 mm2 8
FEATURE SIZES

Human Hair
~75 m

. 0.18 m
180 nm
. feature

~40,000 (65-nm node) transistors could fit on cross-section 9

[C. Keast]
WHY SHOULD YOU LEARN ABOUT VLSI
SYSTEMS?

 They are ubiquitous in our daily lives

(computers/iPods/TVs/Cars/…/etc).
 This course can help you understand the devices you use.
o The market for VLSI systems (and semiconductors) is
worth $350 billion dollars.
 This course can help you get a decent job after graduation (or
you can even start your own company).
o VLSI design and analysis is fun!

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 BIGGEST
SEMICONDUCTOR
COMPANIES
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CONTENT

1 Introduction

2 VLSI Design Flow

3 Class logistics

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 2.1 FROM IDEA TO CHIP
1. idea (need)

2. write
specifications

3. design
system 4. analyze/
model

if satisfactory
system

5. Fabrication

6. test / work
as modeled?

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* APPLICATIONS/ IDEAS

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* SPECIFICATIONS
• Instruction set
• Interface (I/O pins)
• Organization of the
system
• Functionality of each
unit in the and how it
to communicate to
other unit

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* DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
VHDL / Verilog / SystemC

compilation/ design schematics

synthesis

mask layout patterns find wire routes device layout

• Design development is facilitated using Computer-Aided Design 16

(CAD) tools
* FABRICATION

tapeout

mask layout patterns mask writer masks

printing
test and
packaging
dice

chip die
wafer 17
* FABRICATION

 Video: Sand to silicon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCOyq4YzBtY

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* EVALUATE DESIGN AND COMPARE TO MODEL
• Check signal integrity
• Power consumption
• Input/output behavior

• Does the chip function as it is

supposed to be?
• Does it work at desired clock
frequency? (can we overclock?)

board 19
2.2 VLSI DESIGN FLOW

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BOTTOM-UP (FULL CUSTOM)
DESIGN METHOLOGY

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TOP-DOWN (STANDARD CELL)
DESIGN METHOLOGY

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FROM MASK LAYOUT TO
FABRICATED CHIP

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2.3 SIMPLIFIED VLSI DESIGN FLOW

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CONTENT

1 Introduction

2 VLSI Design Flow

3 Class logistics

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PREREQUISITE

 Students must pass those courses:

 Basic Electronics
 Analog/Digital Circuit Design
 Physics of Semiconductor Devices
 Programmable Logic Design

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WHAT ARE WE GOING TO COVER IN THIS
CLASS?
 Overview of VLSI CMOS fabrication
 MOS transistor theory
 VLSI Layout design
 Circuit analysis and performance estimation
 Computer-aided design and analysis tools
 Combinational and sequential circuit design
 Memory systems
 Big, nice design project

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GRADING
Maximum score: 140 points
 30 points Exercise/Homework

 Written in English
 30 points Midterm exam

 30 points Design Project

 Report written in English

 50 points Final exam

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TEXTBOOKS

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TEXTBOOKS (CONT.)

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TEXTBOOKS (CONT.)

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Lecturer : Đỗ Quốc Minh Đăng

Email: dqmdang@fetel.hcmus.edu.vn

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Q&A

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