VLSI DIGITAL DESIGN
cod. 18250

Academic year 2016/17
2° year of course - First semester
Professor
Paolo CIAMPOLINI
Academic discipline
Elettronica (ING-INF/01)
Field
Ingegneria elettronica
Type of training activity
Characterising
63 hours
of face-to-face activities
9 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in - - -

Learning objectives

Knowledge and understanding.

The course complements the skills of electronics design, with particular reference to the VLSI design themes and to low-power design issues. The student gains in-depth knowledge about different design options and related cost-benefit balances. The course gathers physical and technological elements with circuit design strategies, providing the student with tools for general understanding, not limited to specific contemporary technologies.

Applying knowledge and understanding

Knowledge acquired by the student is applied in a context of autonomous design, based on the use of professional design environments, largely diffused in industry environments.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to design VLSI digital systems of realistic complexity, by using suitable CAD tools for each step of the design flow.

Prerequisites

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Course unit content

VLSI digital design components.
Low-power digital design.
CAD-based design flows.

Full programme

IC manufacturing technologies (recall)
Constant electric field scaling: theory, effects, limits and generalization.
The technology perspective: ITRS roadmap
Analysis of energy consumption of a CMOS circuit
Activity coefficients of CMOS logic
Low-power strategies: dynamic power components
Static power sources.
Low-power strategies: static power components. Circuit-based and technology-based solutions.
Semiconductor memories. Classification and circuit implementation: ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, Flash EPROM, sRAM, dRAM.
Design-flow of a CMOS VLSI digital circuit
CAD tools supporting the design flow
Laboratory project.

Bibliography

Jan M. Rabaey, Rabaey, Anantha P. Chandrakasan, Borivoje Nikolić: “Digital Integrated Circuits: A Design Perspective”, Prentice Hall , 2003, ISBN 8120322576

Jan M. Rabaey , “Low Power Design Essentials”, Springer, 2009, ISBN 0387717137

Teaching methods

The course includes:
- Oral lessons
- Lab work, which in turn includes:
- Asssisted design activities, under teacher guidance
- Autonomous design work, with teacher assistance

Assessment methods and criteria

The final examination consists of an oral examination, discussing in depth:
- Knowledge oftheoretical topics
- a VLSI system design, carried out in laboratory (even in cooperation with a small group of fellow students)

Other information

Course material at http://elly.dii.unipr.it/

2030 agenda goals for sustainable development

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