Course Description: This course covers fundamentals of modern VLSI 1C design. It introduces three main aspects of CMOS IC engineering: device operation, circuit design, and circuit layout, as well as three main aspects of VLSI system engineering: system-level simulation, interconnect analysis and basics of high-volume manufacturability. It provides hands-on experience with modern 1C design software.

Prerequisites: ECE 287 and ECE 304

Objectives: This course will focus on two main areas of modern high-speed digital system design: digital and analog integrated circuit design and analysis and VLSI system engineering. These topics will be covered in the following seven modules:

• MOS (metal-oxide-semiconductor) device physics (2)
• Digital CMOS circuits (2)
• Analog CMOS circuits (5)
• Noise in integrated circuits (1)
• High-speed system interconnect (3)
• CMOS fabrication technology (1)

Lecture material will be complemented by a series of laboratory projects, which will be computer-based, as well as experimental.

1. Introduction to Ansoft Designer: A guide to modern industrial-grade EDA (electronic design automation) software.
2. Simulation study of CMOS IV characteristics.
3. Simulation study of Miler capacitance effects on highly-integrated digital circuits.
4. Characterization of delay in digital IC.
5. Simulation study: CMOS amplifier characteristics.
6. Simulation study: Differential signaling using CMOS differential amplifiers.
7. Simulating electric noise in digital systems.
8. Digital data transmission through coaxial cables: A case study.
9. Laboratory measurements of digital signal characteristics: Jitter, edge rate, and EYE diagram.
10. Digital system performance evaluation based on statistical simulation approach.

 Topics:

• Introduction to modern IC design process
• Basic MOS device physics: MOSFET capacitance characteristics
• Basic MOS device physics: IV characteristics of MOSFETs
• Analog MOSFET model
• Digital MOSFET model
• CMOS digital circuits: Inverter C and switching characteristics
• CMOS digital circuits: Inverter layout principles and sizing
• CMOS digital circuits: NAND and NOR gates
• Layout of digital circuits: examples and considerations
• CMOS analog circuits: Current mirrors
• CMOS analog circuits: Common-source amplifiers
• CMOS analog circuits: Source follower and push-pul amplifiers
• CMOS analog circuits: Differential amplifiers, source coupled
• CMOS analog circuits: Differential amplifiers, cross-coupled
• CMOS analog circuits: Operational amplifiers, two-stage
• CMOS analog circuits: Operational amplifiers, examples
• Electrical noise: An overview
• Scaling Theory
• Impact of on-chip and off-chip interconnect: System components
• Impact on-chip and off-chip interconnect: Simulation
• Impact of on-chip and off-chip interconnect: Examples
• CMOS fabrication technology overview

Independent Study: Undergraduate students will each be assigned a topic for in-depth independent study in one of the course concentration areas. Students will perform a review of recent publications on the assigned topic and write a report on the assessment of current trends, challenges, and solutions in the area. The topics will be assigned in week 4 and students' progress will be checked throughout the semester via intermediate report chapter reviews. Grade for the report will be assigned before the finals week.

Research Project: Graduate students will be offered a list of VLSI circuit and system architectures for in-depth analysis resulting in the end -of-semester research project report (undergraduate students will also have n option of switching from independent study to research project for extra class credit). The assignment selection will be required to happen no later than week 7 and a preliminary draft of the project report will be due on week 12. Final report will be due on the last day of classes. Students will have to demonstrate profound understanding of the assigned architecture by performing extensive system simulations and identifying potential design flaws and methods of correction.