What is VLSI?
Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) is the process of creating integrated circuits by combining thousands of transistor-based circuits into a single chip. VLSI began when complex semiconductor and communication technologies were being developed. The microprocessor is a VLSI device. The term is no longer as common as it once was, as chips have increased in complexity into the hundreds of millions of transistors.
What are the different aspects of VLSI?
Now that VLSI has already been demystified as a term, there are many different aspects of VLSI one can study -
1) Analog/Mixed-signal - This field is one of the most popular areas falling under VLSI and it will stay popular, as long as human beings perceive information in the analog way. Analog circuits mostly deal with, as the name suggests, analog signal processing. Egs, Amplifiers, PLLs, Oscillators, etc.
Mixed-signal is kind of a sub-branch of Analog. As now most standard chips have a DSP core, mixed-signal blocks, being at the i/p nd o/p, form one of the most important blocks on the chip. They define the final specifications of the chip. Hence, these will never go out of fashion.
2) RF - This is what the microwave engineers call their work nowdays. At RF freqs, though the some analog pinciples apply, parasitics, in both active and passive devices, start playing a helluva important role. RF again involves two aspects - device research and receiver/other circuits design, which again can be further classified depending on what kind of substrate you want to work on. Has gradually become one of the most popular fields all over, as engineers try to push the freq limits, while accommodating multiple standards on the same chip.
3) Digital - The DSP core that every chip consists of needs to be designed as well. Again a good field to work in. Imp research includes, power efficient DSP algorithms to implement features like FFT, etc, low power architectures, ASIC and FPGA design, leakage reduction, etc.
4) VLSI - This deals with issues involved in chip design and manufacture. Imp research going on - interconnect/link design, chip architecture optimization, 3D chips, etc.
5) VLSI CAD - This involves the design of tools which engineers use to design chips. Almost every major univ has a research group in this field - serves to underline the importance of this field. Again research includes algorithms, AI, etc.
6) Fault Detection and Testing - Now that the chip is ready, one needs to make sure that it works perfectly, before shipping it. Here fault detection tools come in handy. Digital chips can be easily tested coz of binary nature of their output, but analog chips are more tricky. Imp research includes - Built-In Self Testing (BIST), etc.
Some other specialized avenues are opening up - such as biomedical/bio-inspired/neuromorphic VLSI. These are still new fields, and if one wishes to work in them, he or she can still make an impact.
Analog Design expertise rare and valuable as per eetimes: Check this article on Analog
Source : Edulix
Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) is the process of creating integrated circuits by combining thousands of transistor-based circuits into a single chip. VLSI began when complex semiconductor and communication technologies were being developed. The microprocessor is a VLSI device. The term is no longer as common as it once was, as chips have increased in complexity into the hundreds of millions of transistors.What are the different aspects of VLSI?
Now that VLSI has already been demystified as a term, there are many different aspects of VLSI one can study -
1) Analog/Mixed-signal - This field is one of the most popular areas falling under VLSI and it will stay popular, as long as human beings perceive information in the analog way. Analog circuits mostly deal with, as the name suggests, analog signal processing. Egs, Amplifiers, PLLs, Oscillators, etc.
Mixed-signal is kind of a sub-branch of Analog. As now most standard chips have a DSP core, mixed-signal blocks, being at the i/p nd o/p, form one of the most important blocks on the chip. They define the final specifications of the chip. Hence, these will never go out of fashion.
2) RF - This is what the microwave engineers call their work nowdays. At RF freqs, though the some analog pinciples apply, parasitics, in both active and passive devices, start playing a helluva important role. RF again involves two aspects - device research and receiver/other circuits design, which again can be further classified depending on what kind of substrate you want to work on. Has gradually become one of the most popular fields all over, as engineers try to push the freq limits, while accommodating multiple standards on the same chip.
3) Digital - The DSP core that every chip consists of needs to be designed as well. Again a good field to work in. Imp research includes, power efficient DSP algorithms to implement features like FFT, etc, low power architectures, ASIC and FPGA design, leakage reduction, etc.
4) VLSI - This deals with issues involved in chip design and manufacture. Imp research going on - interconnect/link design, chip architecture optimization, 3D chips, etc.
5) VLSI CAD - This involves the design of tools which engineers use to design chips. Almost every major univ has a research group in this field - serves to underline the importance of this field. Again research includes algorithms, AI, etc.
6) Fault Detection and Testing - Now that the chip is ready, one needs to make sure that it works perfectly, before shipping it. Here fault detection tools come in handy. Digital chips can be easily tested coz of binary nature of their output, but analog chips are more tricky. Imp research includes - Built-In Self Testing (BIST), etc.
Some other specialized avenues are opening up - such as biomedical/bio-inspired/neuromorphic VLSI. These are still new fields, and if one wishes to work in them, he or she can still make an impact.
Analog Design expertise rare and valuable as per eetimes: Check this article on Analog
Source : Edulix
2 comments:
This is Nice too :) I was looking for a more methodical and indepth knowledge sharing in this, however i know it's easier said than done:D . So, good one :) lookin fwd to read more and more blogs on VLSI ;)
Yeah I know it's not organized :) But this was an answer for a specific question from someone :)Apologies :)
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