Thomas Dillinger - VLSI Design Methodology Development

This book describes the steps associated with the design and verification of Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) integrated circuits, collectively denoted as the design methodology. The focus of the text is to describe the key features and requirements of each step in the VLSI methodology. The execution of each step utilizes electronic design automation (EDA) software tools, which are invoked by a script that manages the design configuration, assembles the input data, allocates the IT job resources, and interprets the output results. The script is commonly referred to as the flow for the specific methodology step. This book covers both the underlying EDA tool algorithms applied and the characteristics of the related flow. Specific attention is given to the criteria used to assess the status of a design project as it progresses toward the release to fabrication.

The audience for the text is senior-level undergraduates and first-year graduate students studying microelectronics. Professional engineers will also likely find topics of interest to expand the breadth of their expertise. In many cases, the discussion of a specific step extends beyond the design engineering considerations to include the perspective of a project manager, a design automation engineer, a fabrication technology support engineer, and, to be sure, a member of the project methodology team.

It has been my experience that graduating engineers pursuing microelectronic hardware design would benefit from broad exposure to all facets of a VLSI design project and an understanding of the interdependencies between the various engineering teams. The goal of this book is to provide a comprehensive discussion of a VLSI design methodology at a level of technical detail appropriate for a two-semester, project-oriented course of study.

The book is targeted toward a discussion style of presentation rather than formal lectures. The text often highlights the trade-offs that are evaluated when selecting a specific approach for a design methodology step. An interactive discussion among the students provides an opportunity comparable to the engineering environment as part of a design team.

There are no chapter problems provided in this book. However, many universities participate in EDA vendor programs that provide access to individual software tools. This text would work extremely well in combination with such a program. After reviewing a step as a constituent of the overall design methodology, students would be able to exercise the corresponding EDA tool. Projects of larger scope could be incorporated to align with individual student interestsincluding flow scripting, pursuing power/performance/area evaluations, designing (cell-based) circuits, and developing methodology policies and the software utilities to verify those design standards. Projects would typically culminate in a final presentation to the class.

The text is divided into six major topics.. This repetition reflects the importance of the ECO methodology for a design project. Another example is the pervasive impact of lithographic multipatterning in advanced fabrication process nodes. The decomposition of the design data for a mask layer into (individually resolvable) subsets needs methodology support throughout design implementation, analysis, and physical verification flows. The influence of multipatterning is therefore described in multiple chapters.

The references provided with each chapter are rather sparse and in no way reflect the exceptional research that has enabled the complexity of current VLSI designs. The references listed are often among the landmark papers in their specific disciplines. A search for the technical papers that have recently cited these references will enable the reader to develop a more comprehensive bibliography. The website http://www.vlsidesignmethodology.com provides links to errata and additional technical publications of interest.