Digital Electronics Interview Questions for VLSI Freshers

1. Basic Concepts:

- Explain the difference between combinational and sequential logic.

- What is a flip-flop, and how does it differ from a latch?

- Define setup time and hold time. Why are they important?

- What is metastability in digital circuits?

2. Logic Gates and Circuits:

- How do you implement a basic logic gate (AND, OR, NOT) using transistors?

- Describe the working of a multiplexor and a demultiplexor.

- Explain the difference between a Moore machine and a Mealy machine.

- How does a D flip-flop work?

3. Timing and Synchronization:

- What is clock skew, and how can it affect a digital circuit?

- Explain the concept of clock gating.

- Describe how a phase-locked loop (PLL) works and where it is used.

4. Design and Verification:

- What are the steps involved in the digital design flow?

- Explain the difference between RTL and gate-level design.

- What is formal verification, and how is it performed?

- How do you write a testbench for a simple digital circuit?

5. EDA Tools:
- What tools are commonly used for VLSI design and verification?

- How do synthesis tools convert RTL code into gate-level netlist?

- Explain the role of a simulator in the VLSI design process.

6. Power and Performance:

- What is dynamic power consumption, and how is it calculated?

- How can you reduce static power consumption in a digital circuit?

- Describe various low-power design techniques.

7. Memory and Storage:

- Explain the difference between SRAM and DRAM.

- How does a content-addressable memory (CAM) work?

- What is the role of a sense amplifier in memory design?

8. Miscellaneous:

- What is the difference between ASIC and FPGA?

- Describe the concept of pipelining and its advantages.

- Explain the working of a finite state machine (FSM).

- What are the common types of faults in digital circuits, and how are they detected?