Course Description

This VLSI System Design course provides a comprehensive introduction to the principles and practices involved in Very-Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) design. Covering both digital and analog design, the course walks you through the front-end and back-end design flows, essential logic design principles, and advanced digital design concepts. You’ll gain hands-on experience with hardware description languages (HDL) like Verilog and SystemVerilog, and work on practical tasks involving key VLSI components and protocols. Ideal for aspiring VLSI engineers and designers, this course equips you with the skills needed to excel in the field of VLSI system design.

What You Will Learn

• Fundamentals of VLSI System Design and its application in digital and analog circuits.
• Front-end and back-end design flows in VLSI design.
• Combinational, sequential, synchronous, and asynchronous logic design.
• Memory devices and their integration in VLSI systems.
• Hardware Description Languages (HDL), including Verilog and SystemVerilog.
• Design and verification of key VLSI components such as UART, ALU, and various protocols.
• Practical skills in VLSI software and tools.

Course Curriculum

Introduction to VLSI System Design

• Introduction to VLSI System Design
• Front-End Design Flow & Back-End Design Flow
• Introduction to Digital & Analog

Logic Design

• Combinational Logic Design
• Sequential Logic Design
• Synchronous Logic Design
• Asynchronous Logic Design
• Simplification of Combinational Circuits
• Simplification of Sequential Circuits
• Latches & Flip-Flops (Memory Elements)
• Design of CPLDs (PLA, PAL, PROM)
• Design Exercise

Advanced Digital Design

• Advanced Digital Design – Memory Devices (RAM, ROM, SRAM, DRAM, etc.)
• VLSI Design Exercise

Hardware Description Languages (HDL)

• Introduction & Importance of HDL
• Introduction to Verilog
• Building Blocks
• Behavioral Modeling
• System Tasks and Functions

SystemVerilog (SV) and Verification

• SV Class
• Constraints Random Verification

Key VLSI Components

• Flip-Flop and Latch
• Mealy Machine
• UART
• UART TX
• Testbench
• AMBA APB Protocol Specification
• APB Master
• ALU
• Module ALU
• Module Half-Adder
• SDA & SCL
• Histogram Framer
• Seven Segment LED Display

VLSI Software and Protocols

• VLSI Software Installation Process
• Introduction to Digital Electronics
• SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface)
• VLSI Program
• IIC Protocol
• IIC Master

Real-Time Tasks

• RTL Development of UART TX/RX
• AMBA APB Protocol Design
• ALU Design & Verification
• Low Power Design Techniques