Landmarks
Moores axiom Some more funda Free CAD tool Parting notes
Moores Law
Gordon Moore: co-founder of Intel Predicted that the number of transistors per chip would grow exponentially (double every 18 months) Exponential improvement in technology is a natural trend:
e.g.
10x/6 years
IC Products
Processors
Programmable
Embedded systems
Used in cars, factories Network cards
System-on-chip (SoC)
Images: amazon.com
0.35m 0.25m
Heterogeneity on Chip
Heterogeneity
Software
Memory Analog
[Keutzer]
Time-to-market
Exponentially more complex, greater design risk, greater variety, and a smaller design window!
[Keutzer]
Each circuit element carefully handcrafted Huge design effort High Design & NRE Costs / Low Unit Cost High Performance Typically used for high-volume applications
ASIC
Constrained design using pre-designed (and sometimes pre-manufactured) components Also called semi-custom design CAD tools greatly reduce design effort Low Design Cost / High NRE Cost / Med. Unit Cost Medium Performance
Pre-manufactured components with programmable interconnect CAD tools greatly reduce design effort Low Design Cost / Low NRE Cost / High Unit Cost Lower Performance
System-on-chip (SOC)
custom cores (e.g., microcontroller) intellectual property (IP) ASIC logic for special-purpose hardware Programmable Logic (PLD, FPGA) Analog
Open issues
Keeping
CAD $3 B
[Keutzer]
Gaps to be filled:
System-semiconductor
Scenario in India???
HUGE outsourcing Loads of startups (WHY?) VLSI design is nowhere a single nation job Fabrication labs (fabs) in USA getting sold out India getting 4 fabs by next year!
Thank You
Best of Luck for End-Sems and Internships