AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The module aims to provide students with the skills needed to understand, analyze, and design digital circuits in CMOS technology. Starting from the functional specifications of digital subsystems, students will acquire the ability to implement logic and arithmetic circuits, evaluate their performance in terms of area, speed, and power consumption, and apply design optimization techniques. The course also aims to develop the ability to interpret trade-offs between performance, energy consumption, and circuit complexity, including through the use of simulation and verification tools.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Aims

The course aims to provide students with the theoretical foundations and practical skills required for the design of Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) digital integrated circuits. It covers the complete digital design flow, from CMOS logic design and hardware description languages to synthesis, physical design, timing analysis, verification, and design-for-test methodologies. Particular emphasis is placed on modern Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools, low-power design techniques, and design trade-offs among performance, power consumption, and silicon area. Through lectures and laboratory activities, students acquire the ability to design, analyze, and validate digital integrated circuits suitable for implementation on ASIC and FPGA platforms.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the principles of CMOS digital integrated circuit design and VLSI architectures.
• Analyze and evaluate digital circuits in terms of timing, power consumption, area, and reliability.
• Design combinational and sequential digital systems using Hardware Description Languages (HDLs) such as Verilog or VHDL.
• Apply the complete digital VLSI design flow, including logic synthesis, place-and-route, static timing analysis, and physical verification.
• Use professional Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools for circuit design, simulation, verification, and implementation.
• Evaluate design trade-offs and optimize circuits according to performance, power, and area constraints.
• Design and verify digital systems targeting FPGA and ASIC implementations.
• Interpret design reports and critically assess implementation results.
• Work effectively on practical VLSI design projects, documenting design choices and presenting technical results using appropriate engineering terminology.

TEACHING METHODS

The course consists of classroom lectures and laboratory sessions. The theoretical lectures are supported by lecture notes prepared by the instructor and focus on the principles of CMOS and VLSI design. Laboratory activities provide hands-on experience with professional Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, allowing students to implement, simulate, synthesize, verify, and analyze digital integrated circuits throughout the complete VLSI design flow. Practical exercises and case studies are used to strengthen the connection between theoretical concepts and real-world integrated circuit design.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. N. H. E. Weste and D. Harris, CMOS VLSI Design: A Circuits and Systems Perspective, 4th or 5th Edition, Addison-Wesley/Pearson. (Primary textbook)
2. J. M. Rabaey, A. Chandrakasan, and B. Nikolić, Digital Integrated Circuits: A Design Perspective, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall.
3. S. Palnitkar, Verilog HDL: A Guide to Digital Design and Synthesis, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall.
4. Lecture notes and supplementary material provided by the instructor.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Teaching activities are scheduled in the second semester.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The final assessment consists of a written examination aimed at evaluating the students’ understanding of the theoretical concepts and their ability to analyze and solve VLSI design problems. The written exam may include both theoretical questions and design-oriented exercises covering the topics discussed during the course.

Additional assessment activities, such as participation in practical exercises or laboratory sessions, may be taken into account for the final grade according to criteria that will be communicated during the course.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Students are assessed through a written examination. The assessment evaluates the achievement of the intended learning outcomes, including the understanding of VLSI design principles, the ability to analyze and design digital integrated circuits, and the application of appropriate design methodologies to solve engineering problems. Additional assessment activities may be introduced during the course and, if applicable, their contribution to the final grade will be communicated in advance.