In this course, you will learn how to analyze, simulate, and design ready-to fabricate digital integrated circuits (ICs). We will cover a variety of types of circuits including combinational circuits, sequential circuits, arithmetic blocks, and memories. You will become familiar with cutting edge VLSI design issues including variations, power, leakage, and optimization. A semester-long research project will allow you (working in small groups) to investigate novel circuits or cutting edge circuits problems. You will gain valuable experience by using industry standard CAD tools (e.g. from Cadence) for VLSI circuit design, simulation, and layout. This course will expose you to the major circuit-related opportunities and challenges in the microelectronics industry and equip you to design custom digital ICs.

The class will also try to answer the following questions: What has changed since the "standard" VLSI textbooks were written? How has CMOS technology changed? Are MOS transistors still behaving like on/off switches? What are finFETs? How about SOI? How is 3DIC helping the "self-fulfilling" profecy that is Moore's Law? What are 3D NAND flash memories? What are the "more than Moore" and "beyond Moore" trends for the future?