Introduction to VLSI Design
Landmarks
Moores axiom Some more funda Free CAD tool Parting notes
Moores Law
Gordon Moore: co-founder of Intel Predicted that the number of transistors per chip would grow exponentially (double every 18 months) Exponential improvement in technology is a natural trend:
e.g.
Steam Engines - Dynamo - Automobile
Moores Law Transistors
Microprocessors
10M 1M 100K 10K 1K 100 10 1
[Keutzer] 4004 8086 8080 80386 68020 68000 PPC603 Pentium 80486 Pentium Pro PPC601 MIPS R4000 68040
10x/6 years
IC Products
Processors
CPU, DSP, Controllers RAM, ROM, EEPROM
Memory chips Analog
Mobile communication, audio/video processing
PLA, FPGA
Programmable
Embedded systems
Used in cars, factories Network cards
System-on-chip (SoC)
Images: [Link]
IC Product Market Shares
Source: Electronic Business
Silicon Process 1.5m Technology Intel386TM DX Processor Intel486TM DX Processor
Example: Intel Processor Sizes
1.0m 0.8m 0.6m
0.35m 0.25m
Pentium Processor Pentium Pro & Pentium II Processors
Source: [Link]
Heterogeneity on Chip
Greater diversity of onchip elements
Processors
Heterogeneity
Software
Memory Analog
More transistors doing different things!
[Keutzer]
Stronger Market Pressures
Decreasing design window Less tolerance for design revisions
Time-to-market
Exponentially more complex, greater design risk, greater variety, and a smaller design window!
[Keutzer]
VLSI Design Styles
Full Custom Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) Programmable Logic (PLD, FPGA) System-on-a-Chip
Full Custom Design
Each circuit element carefully handcrafted Huge design effort High Design & NRE Costs / Low Unit Cost High Performance Typically used for high-volume applications
ASIC
Constrained design using pre-designed (and sometimes pre-manufactured) components Also called semi-custom design CAD tools greatly reduce design effort Low Design Cost / High NRE Cost / Med. Unit Cost Medium Performance
Programmable Logic (FPGA)
Pre-manufactured components with programmable interconnect CAD tools greatly reduce design effort Low Design Cost / Low NRE Cost / High Unit Cost Lower Performance
System-on-chip (SOC)
Idea: combine several large blocks
Predesigned
custom cores (e.g., microcontroller) intellectual property (IP) ASIC logic for special-purpose hardware Programmable Logic (PLD, FPGA) Analog
Open issues
Keeping
design cost low Verifying correctness of design
The Inverted Pyramid
Electronic Systems > $1 Trillion
Semiconductor > $220 B
CAD $3 B
[Keutzer]
Where is the money?
Gaps to be filled:
System-semiconductor
gap Semiconductor-CAD gap
A free CAD flow for all who care!
Alliance CAD tools "Architecture des Systmes intgrs et Micro lectronique" department of LIP6 875 000 Transistor design done Limit is your processor power and your design abilities!
Scenario in India???
HUGE outsourcing Loads of startups (WHY?) VLSI design is nowhere a single nation job Fabrication labs (fabs) in USA getting sold out India getting 4 fabs by next year!
Thank You
Best of Luck for End-Sems and Internships
