The subject deals with the integrated circuit technology and design methodology. The syllabus includes:

VLSI technology

• A MOSFET transistor - its structure and working. A dc behaviour. A schematic symbol. A stick diagram symbol as a topological description of the transistor layout.
• A CMOS inverter and its diagrammatic representations. A circuit diagram and a stick diagram as a topological description of the integrated circuit layout. Geometry of the integrated circuit layout and related fabrication masks. A cross-sectional view of an inverter. A transfer characteristic and the switching behaviour of the CMOS inverter.
• Basic CMOS technology. From the circuit layout, through the fabrication masks and technological steps to the implementation of an integrated circuit on a silicon wafer.

Design fundamentals and methodology

• Layout design rules. Layout editors. Design-rule checkers.
• CMOS static logic gates - circuit diagrams, stick diagrams and mask layouts. Serial and parallel connections of MOS transistors. NAND, NOR gates. The concept of a composite CMOS gate. XOR gates. Adders. Static CMOS latches: an S-R latch, D latch and flip-flop, a T flip-flop.
• A library of standard cells.
• A switch logic versus a gate logic. A complementary switch - a transmission gate. A multiplexer. A tri-state inverter. A D-latch using the tri-state inverters. An XOR gate.
• A methodology of designing an optimal layout of CMOS functional gates. Layout matrices.
• Design methodologies: Full-custom, standard cells, gate arrays, sea-of gates.
• Design example: A full-custom design of a barrel switch/rotator.
• I/O pads and pad frames.

Integrated-Circuit Design Tools

• Hardware description languages - VHDL. Schematic capture. Silicon compilers. Layout editors. Design Rule Checkers. Functional, logic and switch-level simulation. Automatic placement and floor-planning.

Case Designs

• Selected arithmetic algorithms and circuits.
• Designing a random number generator.

A class of Unix/Linux workstations with the following software loaded:

• Mentor Graphics with
• IC Flow and
• ASIC Design Kit

It is a liceneced software maintained by CSSE TSU.

Two hours per week of supervised lab classes and four hours a week of unsupervised student work.

• Software Title:
• Vendor:
• Version:
• OS: MS Windows XP ( ) and/or LINUX ( )
• License Details: (A valid software license certificate/s or Vendor permission must be available upon request if the software is to be installed for teaching)
• Are we currently licensed: Yes ( ) or No ( ) (If unsure, please check with your local IT support )
• If (Yes), who is the contact person for this software?:
• If (No), will the software license be arranged by: Staff member requesting the software ( ) or Technical Services* ( ) ? *If the latter is selected, please discuss your requirement/s with myself ASAP, prior to finalising your request, as there could be financial or resourcing implications.
• Is the software to be installed and accessed from a: Client/Workstation ( ), or Server ( ) ?
• Type of license: Site License ( ), Freeware ( ), FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) ( ), Shareware ( ), Lab based ( ) # of Licenses needed ____
• In what week will you commence using the software in class? Semester 1 (Week ___ ) and/or Semester 2 (Week ___ ):
• Nominated Staff For Acceptance Testing Software: (Name) (Phone) (Email)
• Additional Information: Special Requirements, Software Configuration/Installation Requirements, etc:

Pre-requisite knowledge as in CSE1101, Digital technology I, or CSE1308, Digital Logic, or equivalent is expected. It includes:

• Binary numbers and arithmetic operations,
• Binary Logic and logic gates,
• Boolean Algebra,
• Logic synthesis,
• Combinational circuits: multiplexers, decoder, adders
• Sequential circuits: Latches, flip-flops, registers, counters