Introduction

What is VLSI?
VLSI (very large-scale integration) is the current level of
computer microchip miniaturization and refers to microchips
containing in the hundreds of thousands of transistor s. LSI
(large-scale integration) meant microchips containing
thousands of transistors.

What is the Use of VLSI?

VLSI APPLICATION. VLSI stands for Very Large Scale
Integration. It's used in creating so many chips and circuits
on a single mini chip of silicon.
 Introduction
About any design..
Requirements
Requirementsstudy
study

specification
specification What do I have to design?

implementation
implementation How do I do it?

validation
validation Have I implemented

market
market What I intended to?
 VLSI Design cycle:

VLSI design cycle start with a formal

specification of a VLSI chip, follows
a series of steps, and eventually
produces a packaged chip.

VLSI SYSTEM DESIGN FLOW

V. ANURADHA
 Simplified VLSI Design Flows
System Specification

Circuit
Functional Representation
Behavioral Circuit Design
(Architecture) Design
Representation

Functional Verification Circuit Verification

Logic(Gate-Level) Layout
Representation
Logic Design Physical Design Representation

Logic Verification Physical Verification

Front End Back End Layout Phase

Synthesis Phase
 Four Levels of Design Representation

Behavioral
Representation
Functional Blocks, FSM

Logic (Gate-Level) Logic Blocks, Gates

Representation

Circuit
(Transistor-Level) Transistor Schematics
Representation

VLSI SYSTEM DESIGN FLOW

Layout V. ANURADHA
Representation Physical Devices
VLSI Design flow

VLSI SYSTEM DESIGN FLOW

V. ANURADHA
 Design Methodology
There are two basic types of digital design
methodologies
Top-Down design methodology
Bottom-Up design methodology

Top-Down Design Methodology

 Define top-level block and identify the sub-
blocks
 divide sub-block until we come to leaf cells
 Design Methodology
Bottom-Up Design Methodology
identify building block that are available for us

build a bigger cells using these block

continue build a cell until we build top level the

A combination of Top-Down and Bottom-Up
design are used in today’s digital design
top-level
 Top-Down Design Methodology

Top Level Block

Sub Block 1 Sub Block 1 Sub Block 1

Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf

Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell

VLSI SYSTEM DESIGN FLOW

V. ANURADHA
 Bottom-Up Design Methodology

Top Level Block

Macro Cell 1 Macro Cell 2 Macro Cell 3

Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf Leaf

Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell
Simplified view of VLSI design Flow

Top Down
(algorithm

Bottom Up
(physical)
Y-Chart
 System Specification
 First step of design process is to lay down
the specification of the system.
 High level representation of the system.
 Factors considered:
 Performance,Functionality,Physical
dimension,Design technique,Fabrication
technology
 It is a compromise between market
requirements, technological and economical
viability.
 System Specification

The end results are specifications of

 Size,Speed,Power and Functionality
of the VLSI system
 Basic architecture
 Functional Design

 Main functional units, Interconnect requirements

of the system are identified
 The area, power and other parameters of each unit
are estimated
 The key idea is to specify behavior, in terms of
Input,Output,Timing of each unit
 The outcome of functional design is usually a timing
diagram
 This information leads to improvement of the
overall design process and reduction of complexity
of the subsequent phases
 Logic Design
Design the logic, that is,
Boolean expressions,word width, register allocation,
etc.

The outcome is called an RTL (Register Transfer

Level) description. RTL is expressed in a HDL
(Hardware Description Language), such as VHDL
and Verilog.
 Circuit Design
 The purpose of the circuit design is to develop a
circuit representation based on the logic design.

 The Boolean expression can be converted into a

circuit representation by taking into consideration
the speed and power requirements of the original
design.

 Design the circuit including gates, transistors,

interconnections, etc. The outcome is called a
netlist.

 Circuit simulation is used to verify the correctness

and timing of component
 Physical Design

Given a circuit after logic

synthesis, to convert it into a
layout
Overall design process