Digital Electronics @ JU 2022-2023-3

HomeWork #2
5 Pages Max., and font size=12 – Softcopy and Hardcopy

Deadline: Thursday 24/8/2023

Name (‫)بالعربي‬ ID # ‫الرقم التسلسلي‬ Submission Date Grade /5

Student

P1. (0.5-point) In your own words, what are the big differences between the ASIC and FPGA Designs? Which one to
choose when you are going to design a CPU? Make a Table for comparison.
ASIC (APPLICATION-SPECIFIC IC) FPGA (FIELD-PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAY)

FUNCTIONALITY Designed for a specific and fixed function. Reconfigurable, reprogrammable, can
implement various designs or functions.

DESIGN TIME AND COST Long design cycle, high upfront costs. Shorter design cycle, lower upfront costs.

FLEXIBILITY Not flexible; fixed functionality. Highly flexible; can be reprogrammed.

ITERATION Difficult and expensive to iterate designs. Easy to iterate and make design changes.

PERFORMANCE Highly optimized for specific tasks. Versatile but may not match ASIC performance.

POWER EFFICIENCY Often more power-efficient for the task. May have higher power consumption.

COST PER UNIT Lower cost per unit for large production. Higher cost per unit due to reconfigurability.

TIME-TO-MARKET Longer time-to-market due to manufacturing. Shorter time-to-market for quicker prototypes.

CUSTOMIZATION Tailored to specific application requirements. Offers general-purpose reconfigurability.

APPLICATION SIZE Suitable for large-scale production runs. Better for prototypes and medium production.

P2. (0.5-point) Draw a flowchart for the design flow in VLSI.

System specifications

Architectural Design

Functional and logic design

Circuit Design

Physical Design

Physical Verifications

Layout post processing

Fabrication

Packaging & Testing

[1]

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P3. (0.5-point) What is the most advanced Technology node for 2023? And how is it related to Moore’s law?

It seems that Mass Production of 3nm Process Node is the most commonly and trendy node in 23’. Samsung with their
GAA process, TSMC N3E technology, and Intel say that volume production is under way with good yields.

Moore's Law, the observation made by Gordon Moore, states that the number of transistors on a chip roughly doubles
every two years, leading to increased computational power and efficiency.
The transition to smaller process nodes, such as 3nm, is a significant milestone in semiconductor manufacturing and is
crucial to advancing Moore's Law

P4. (0.5-point) What is the meaning of fabless company? Give names for giant electronics fabless companies.

It is a company that designs and markets IC’s but outsources the manufacturing & fabrication of those chips and designs
to third-party foundries, rather than owning its own fabrication facilities (fabs).
• NVIDIA: A leader in GPUs, and designing processor architectures after buying ARM.
• Xilinx Inc.: A pioneer in FPGAs and programmable logic solutions.
• AMD: CPUs & GPUs.

P5. (0.5-point) Could you please provide information about EDA companies? Identify the top five global
companies in this field, including their logos adjacent to their names, along with pertinent details about each of
them. Make a Table.

Company LOGO OVERVIEW HEADQUARTERS FOUNDED

SYNOPSYS, INC. A leader in EDA software and IP Mountain View, 1986

solutions for semiconductor CA, USA
design, verification, and
manufacturing.

CADENCE DESIGN Provides software, hardware, and San Jose, CA, 1988
SYSTEMS, INC. semiconductor IP to design and USA
verify advanced semiconductors.

SIEMENS DIGITAL Offers a comprehensive portfolio Wilsonville, OR, 1981

INDUSTRIES SOFTWARE of EDA tools and solutions for USA
(FORMERLY MENTOR electronic systems design.
GRAPHICS)

ANSYS, INC. Known for its simulation software Canonsburg, PA, 1970
across various engineering USA
disciplines, including electronics.

ALTAIR ENGINEERING, Offers simulation-driven Troy, MI, USA 1985

INC. engineering solutions for various
industries, including electronics.

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P6. (0.5-point) Name the most essential EDA tools for VLSI Digital IC Design. (Please use the VLSI design flow from the
Problem P2 above)
1- Synopsys
2- Cadence
3- Siemens EDA
4- ANSYS
**And the free tools:
1- Alliance
2- Electric
3- Quartus
4- Vivado

P7. (0.5-point) What is TSMC? Compare it with Intel and SAMSUNG.

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) is a leading semiconductor manufacturing company

headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan. TSMC is known for its role as a foundry, specializing in the fabrication of
semiconductor chips for various clients and fabless semiconductor companies. TSMC is a prominent
semiconductor foundry that manufactures chips for various companies. Unlike Intel and Samsung, which design
and produce their own chips, TSMC focuses solely on manufacturing chips based on designs provided by other
companies, making it a key player in global chip fabrication. Intel designs and produces its own chips, while
Samsung engages in both chip design and manufacturing, with a broad product range beyond semiconductors.

P8. (0.5-point) In terms of attributes such as speed, power consumption, efficiency, and scalability, how does Analog
compare to Digital technology?? You need to support your answer with examples
Speed:
• Analog: Analog signals can process continuous variations in real-time. For example, analog audio signals can
accurately represent the nuances of sound waves.
• Digital: Digital signals are discrete and processed in discrete steps. Digital systems can process data faster than
analog systems due to the precision of digital operations. For instance, digital processors can execute instructions
at high clock speeds.
Power Consumption:
• Analog: Analog systems can consume higher power due to the continuous nature of signals. Devices like analog
amplifiers can draw considerable power even when the input signal is low.
• Digital: Digital systems tend to be more power-efficient because they work with discrete voltage levels. Logic
gates in digital systems consume power only when they transition between states.
Efficiency:
• Analog: Analog systems are efficient for tasks that require continuous variations, such as audio and image
processing.
• Digital: Digital systems are highly efficient for complex computations and tasks involving logic operations, such as
data encryption and signal processing.
Scalability:
• Analog: Analog systems are often limited in scalability due to factors like noise, interference, and signal
degradation. Amplifying analog signals over long distances can lead to quality loss.
• Digital: Digital systems can be easily scaled because digital signals are less susceptible to noise. Data transmission
over long distances can be accomplished with minimal loss using digital communication protocols like Ethernet.
Example: Audio Processing:
• Analog: Vinyl records are a classic example of analog technology. The continuous grooves on the record's surface
represent the audio signal's continuous variations.
• Digital: CDs, MP3s, and streaming services use digital audio technology. Sound waves are sampled at discrete
intervals and encoded as binary data, allowing for easy storage, transmission, and manipulation.

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P9. (0.5-point) State all what you know about “Three-dimensional integrated circuit”, you need to use some figures,
illustrations, images, facts, history with your answer.

[2]
A Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuit (3D IC) is an advanced packaging. 3D ICs stack multiple layers of
integrated circuits on top of each other, creating a vertical integration of circuitry. This stacking enables
increased performance, power efficiency, and compactness compared to traditional 2D designs.
The concept of 3D integration dates back to the 1960s, but practical implementation was challenging due to
manufacturing limitations and technological constraints. In recent years, advancements in semiconductor
technology and packaging have made 3D ICs more feasible.

P10. (0.5-point) Do you agree or disagree with the notion that microlithography serves as the limiting factor in
integrated circuit fabrication technology?

I do.
As ICs advanced, the challenge of shrinking feature sizes within the constraints of traditional optical lithography
became apparent due to the diffraction limit of light. This prompted the adoption of complex solutions like
extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. The transition to each new technology node necessitated substantial
investments and R&D. Microlithography's limitations also drove the development of intricate techniques such
as multiple patterning, increasing manufacturing costs and complexities. Although it is not the sole limiting
factor, microlithography's challenges have fueled the exploration of alternative approaches and technologies to
ensure the continuation of Moore's Law and the progression of IC technology.

Sources and References

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_design_%28electronics%29
[2] https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/12/2488