Course Summary
This course covers the design of digital integrated circuits using the industry-standard tools and techniques of VLSI CAD with emphasis on logic design.Key Learning Points
- Learn about digital integrated circuits and VLSI CAD
- Understand the tools and techniques used in logic design
- Gain practical skills in designing digital circuits
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the principles of digital circuit design
- Gain hands-on experience with industry-standard CAD tools
- Design and simulate digital circuits using Verilog HDL
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- Basic knowledge of digital electronics
- Familiarity with programming concepts
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online
- Self-paced
Similar Courses
- Analog IC Design
- Digital Signal Processing
- Introduction to Semiconductor Technology
Related Education Paths
Related Books
Description
A modern VLSI chip has a zillion parts -- logic, control, memory, interconnect, etc. How do we design these complex chips? Answer: CAD software tools. Learn how to build thesA modern VLSI chip is a remarkably complex beast: billions of transistors, millions of logic gates deployed for computation and control, big blocks of memory, embedded blocks of pre-designed functions designed by third parties (called “intellectual property” or IP blocks). How do people manage to design these complicated chips? Answer: a sequence of computer aided design (CAD) tools takes an abstract description of the chip, and refines it step-wise to a final design. This class focuses on the major design tools used in the creation of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or System on Chip (SoC) design. Our focus in this first part of the course is on key Boolean logic representations that make it possible to synthesize, and to verify, the gate-level logic in these designs. This is the first step of the design chain, as we move from logic to layout. Our goal is for students to understand how the tools themselves work, at the level of their fundamental algorithms and data structures. Topics covered will include: Computational Boolean algebra, logic verification, and logic synthesis (2-level and multi-level).
Outline
- Orientation
- Welcome and Introduction
- Syllabus
- Tools For This Course
- Demographics Survey
- Computational Boolean Algebra
- Computational Boolean Algebra: Basics
- Computational Boolean Algebra: Boolean Difference
- Computational Boolean Algebra: Quantification Operators
- Computational Boolean Algebra: Application to Logic Network Repair
- Computational Boolean Algebra: Recursive Tautology
- Computational Boolean Algebra: Recursive Tautology—URP Implementation
- Week 1 Overview
- Week 1 Assignments
- Boolean Representation via BDDs and SAT
- BDD Basics, Part 1
- BDD Basics, Part 2
- BDD Sharing
- BDD Ordering
- Satisfiability (SAT), Part 1
- Boolean Constraint Propagation (BCP) for SAT
- Using SAT for Logic
- Week 2 Overview
- Week 2 Assignments
- Problem Set #1
- 2-Level Logic Synthesis, and Multi-Level Logic Synthesis via the Algebraic Model
- 2-Level Logic: Basics
- 2-Level Logic: The Reduce-Expand-Irredundant Optimization Loop
- 2-Level Logic: Details for One Step: Expand
- Multilevel Logic and the Boolean Network Model
- Multilevel Logic: Algebraic Model for Factoring
- Multilevel Logic: Algebraic Division
- Multilevel Logic: Role of Kernels and Co-Kernels in Factoring
- Multilevel Logic: Finding the Kernels
- Week 3 Overview
- Week 3 Assignments
- Problem Set #2
- Multilevel Factor Extract and Don't Cares
- Mulitlevel Logic and Divisor Extraction—Single Cube Case
- Mulitlevel Logic and Divisor Extraction—Multiple Cube Case
- Multilevel Logic and Divisor Extraction—Finding Prime Rectangles & Summary
- Multilevel Logic—Implicit Don't Cares, Part 1
- Multilevel Logic—Implicit Don't Cares, Part 2
- Multilevel Logic—Satisfiability Don't Cares
- Multilevel Logic—Controllability Don't Cares
- Multilevel Logic—Observability Don't Cares
- Week 4 Overview
- Week 4 Assignments
- Problem Set #3
- Auxiliary Quiz of Serious BDDs
- Final Exam
- Problem Set #4
- Final Exam
- End of Course Survey
Summary of User Reviews
Discover the world of VLSI CAD logic through this comprehensive course on Coursera. The course has received positive reviews from learners who found it informative and well-structured. One key aspect that many users appreciated was the practical approach to teaching.Pros from User Reviews
- The course offers a practical approach to learning VLSI CAD logic
- The course is well-structured and easy to follow
- The instructors are knowledgeable and responsive to queries
- The course covers a wide range of topics related to VLSI CAD logic
- The course materials are of high quality and engaging
Cons from User Reviews
- The course may be too technical for beginners
- Some learners have reported issues with the video quality
- The course may not be suitable for those who prefer hands-on learning
- The course may require a significant time commitment
- The course may be too focused on theoretical concepts for some learners