VLSI Questions

Lecture-1

1.What is Moore’s Law? Why and how was it modified in 1975?

Moore’s Law(1965) predicted that the number of transistors integrated on a die would grow
exponentially (doubling every 12 to 18 months) and projected this rate of growth would
continue for at least another decade. In 1975, he revised the forecast to doubling every two
years.
2.What is the impact of Moore’s law on the development of VLSI?
3.Explain the brief history of IC industry.

1947 Bradeen Brattain Schockly invented the

transistor
1952 Sony introduced first transisitor introduced radio
1958 Kilby invented ICs
1965 Moore’s Law
1968 Noyce and Moore founded Intel
1970 Intel introduced 1K DRAM
1971 Intel announed 4 bit 4004 up (2250 transistors)
1985 Intel startef focusing on up productors
1987 TSMC was founded
1991 ARM introduced first chipless IC Design
1996 Samgung introduced 1G DRAM
1998 IBM introduced 1GHz experimental up
1999 SOC
An intel p4 processor contains 42 Millions
transistors

4. Explain the different steps in VLSI realization process.

 Customer’s need
Determine requirements Design
Write specifications
Design synthesis and Verification
Test development
Fabrication
Manufacturing test Manufacture
Chips to customer

5.What are the problems of VLSI design on today?

Problems with technology:
High power consumption
Power density
Leakage
Process variation – larger as a fraction of feature size
Increased noise sensitivity
Problems with design:
Verification of correctness – logic and timing
Ensuring reliable operation
Testing

Lecture-2

6.How do you define LSI and VLSI?

7.What is yield? How cost is related to yield in chip designing?
8.What are the design issues?
9.What do you mean by design synthesis?
10.What is verification? What is testing?
11.Explain VLSI design Cycle.
12.Explain the different steps in Physical Design.