Physical Design Interview Questions for VLSI Engineers
The relentless demand for electronic devices in today’s world underscores the critical role of the VLSI industry in shaping modern technology. With its ability to create intricate integrated circuits, the VLSI course has paved the way for smaller, faster, and more efficient devices. For those aspiring to thrive in this dynamic field, a deep understanding […]
What is Skew in VLSI?
Skew in VLSI is the difference in clock arrival time across the chip. Clock Skew in VLSI is the temporal difference between the arrival of the same edge of a clock signal at the Clock pin of the capture and launch flops. Â Signals take time to move from one location to another. Clock latency […]
Steps In VLSI Physical Design Flow
VLSI physical design flow is a cardinal process of converting synthesized netlist, design curtailment, and standard library to a layout as per the design rules. This layout is further sent to the foundry for the creation of the chip. According to an article in the Times of India, we fit more than 50 billion transistors […]
Ensuring Chip Health: The Role of End Cap Cells in VLSI
The gate of the standard cells put at the border during chip manufacture has a significant likelihood of being damaged. We have a specific type of cell in the common cell library called an end cap cell or boundary cell to prevent these damages at the boundary. The Endcap cells in vlsi are the only […]
Best Practices for the Physical Design of IoT Solutions
The Internet of Things (IoT) is no longer a futuristic vision, it is rapidly transforming everyday lives through its interconnected network of devices. But bringing your innovative IoT project to life requires more than just brilliant software and connectivity. The physical design of IoT is the very foundation of your device. It forms the critical […]
Discover what is noise margin in VLSI
The noise margin in VLSI is the amount of noise that a CMOS digital VlSI design can endure without interfering with its function. The noise margin ensures that any logic ‘1’ signal with finite noise added to it is still identified as logic ‘1’ and not logic ‘0’. It is essentially the difference between the […]
Power Dissipation in CMOS Circuits
Low power consumption and high-density ICs are required to rapidly develop portable systems such as laptops, PDAs, digital wristwatches, mobile phones, etc. As a result, there has been an explosion of inventive research in low-power devices and design methodologies. In most situations, low power consumption needs must be balanced against the equally demanding goals of […]
What Is Double Patterning In VLSI And Why Do We Need It?
A common technique used for multiple patterning is double patterning. The metal–oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) is fabricated using 193 nm wavelength light in a method known as optical lithography. At 40 nm half-pitch, 193nm wavelength single-exposure lithography achieved its physical limit. As we progress to lower technological nodes, i.e. channel lengths less than 30nm, […]
What is Latch Up in VLSI and Its Prevention Techniques?
Latch-up in VLSI is a short circuit/low impedance channel generated between the power and ground rails of a MOSFET circuit, resulting in high current leading to IC damage. It is caused by the interaction of parasitic PNP and NPN transistors (BJTs). This results in a structure that resembles a Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR). These create […]
Managing Miniatures: Techniques to manage OCV in VLSI Design
As technology miniaturizes, pushing the boundaries of materials and design, On-Chip Variation (OCV) plays a crucial role in VLSI design. By simulating variations within chips, OCV helps prevent malfunctions after fabrication, ensuring functionality in increasingly compact sizes. This becomes especially critical with initiatives like India’s proposed semiconductor plants, highlighting the need for advanced VLSI techniques […]