VLSI System Design

The pace of development of microelectronics since the 1960s has been breathtaking. The "chip", now commonplace at home and at work is becoming increasingly more sophisticated. Major systems are being integrated into single, complex Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) circuits. Mixed analog and digital systems are increasing in popularity so that sensors of signals can be integrated with their processors. VLSI system engineers use powerful computer-aided design (CAD) tools to design intricate circuit architectures which must be "right first time". Engineers operating in this field are in very great demand and there is abundant scope for designers with flair and ingenuity.
This course aims at CMOS technology and hierarchical VLSI design methodology with a systems perspective in order to facilitate the use of computer-aided design tools for the analysis and design of special-purpose digital and analog circuits and systems.

The specific aims are:

1. This course covers a variety of topics dealing with implementing systems as MOS VLSI circuits.
2. The course presents a unified top-down and bottom-up design framework for implementing these systems, and all levels of VLSI system design are analyzed.
3. The major portion of the course is spent examining actual implementations of VLSI systems, and selected advanced topics drawing from recent developments in the field.
4. The course stresses a hands-on approach and provides the student with practical design experience.
5. This course is intended to give the student the knowledge and experience needed to build large computing systems on VLSI chips, from low level circuit design issues to high level architecture design and floor planning.