VLSI Circuits and Design

Topic-1: Introduction

The First Computer

ENIAC - The first electronic computer (1946)

The Transistor Revolution

The First Integrated Circuits

Intel 4004 Micro-Processor

Intel Pentium (IV) microprocessor

Moore’s Law

Evolution in Complexity

Transistor Counts

Moore’s law in Microprocessors

Die Size Growth

Frequency

Power Dissipation

Power will be a major problem

Power density

Not Only Microprocessors

Challenges in Digital Design

Productivity Trends

Why Scaling?

Design Abstraction Levels

Design Metrics

Cost of Integrated Circuits

Die Cost

Cost per Transistor

Yield

Topic-2: MOS Transistor

The MOS Transistor

The NMOS Transistor Cross Section

Switch Model of NMOS Transistor

Switch Model of PMOS Transistor

Threshold Voltage Concepts

The Threshold Voltage

The Body Effect (for NMOS transistor)

Transistor in Linear Mode

Voltage-Current Relation: Linear Mode

Transistor in Saturation Mode

Voltage-Current Relation: Saturation Mode

Transistor Capacitance Values

Current Determinates

Long-Channel I-V Plot (NMOS)

Short-Channel Effects

Voltage-Current Relation: Velocity Saturation

Velocity Saturation Effects

Short Channel I-V Plot (NMOS)

MOS ID-VGS Characteristics

Short Channel I-V Plot (PMOS)

Subthreshold Conductance

The Unified MOS Current-Source Model

Transistor as a Switch – Equivalent Resistance

The Transistor Modeled as a Switch

Sources of Capacitance

MOS Intrinsic Capacitances

MOS Overlap Capacitances

MOS Channel Capacitances

Average Distribution of Channel Capacitance

MOS Diffusion Capacitances

Source Junction View

Review: Reverse Bias Diode

Drain-Bulk Capacitance: Keq

MOS Capacitance Model

Transistor Capacitance Values

Topic-3: CMOS Inverter

DC Operation

Mapping Logic Levels to the Voltage Domain

Noise Margins

The Ideal Inverter

Steady State Response

CMOS Properties

CMOS Inverter Load Lines

CMOS Inverter VTC

Switch Model of Dynamic Behavior

Relative Transistor Sizing

Switching Threshold

Switch Threshold Example

Noise Margins: Determining VIH and VIL

CMOS Inverter VTC from Simulation

Gain Determinates

Impact of Process Variation on VTC Curve

Scaling the Supply Voltage

Delay Definitions

The Miller Effect

Extrinsic (Fan-Out) Capacitance

Layout of Two Chained Inverters

Components of CL

Inverter Propagation Delay

Inverter Transient Response

Design for Performance

NMOS/PMOS Ratio

PMOS/NMOS Ratio Effects

Device Sizing for Performance

Sizing Impacts on Delay

Impact of Fanout on Delay

Inverter Chain

Sizing the Inverters in the Chain

Determining N: Optimal Number of Inverters

Optimum Effective Fan-Out

Example of Inverter (Buffer) Staging

Impact of Buffer Staging for Large CL

Input Signal Rise/Fall Time

Delay with Long Interconnects

Topic-4: Combinational Logic

Combinational vs. Sequential Logic

Static CMOS Circuit

Transistors .in Series/Parallel Connection

Threshold Drops

Complementary CMOS Logic Style

Constructing a Complex Gate

Cell Design

Standard Cell Layout Methodology

Stick Diagrams

Consistent Euler Path

Multi-Fingered Transistors

CMOS Properties

Switch Delay Model

Input Pattern Effects on Delay

Transistor Sizing

Fan-In Considerations

Design Techniques

Sizing Logic Paths for Speed

Buffer Example

Logical Effort

Delay in a Logic Gate

Branching Effort

Multistage Networks

Optimum Effort per Stage

Optimal Number of Stages

Ratioed Logic

Active Loads

Pseudo-NMOS

Improved Loads

DCVSL Example

Pass-Transistor Logic

NMOS-Only Logic

Level Restoring Transistor

Restorer Sizing

Complementary Pass Transistor Logic

Transmission Gate

Resistance of Transmission Gate

Pass-Transistor Based Multiplexer

Delay in Transmission Gate Networks

Delay Optimization

Dynamic Logic

Properties of Dynamic Gates

Charge Leakage

Backgate Coupling

Clock Feedthrough

Cascading Dynamic Gates

Domino Logic

Footless Domino

NORA Logic

Topic-5: Logical effort

Design Technique Using Logical Effort

Intrinsic Delay Term

Logical Effort Term

Delay as a Function of Fan-Out

Path Delay Equation Derivation

Gate Sizes

Decoder Example

Limits of Logical Effort

Topic-6: Power

Why Power Matters

Power and Energy Figures of Merit

Power versus Energy

Power in Circuit Elements

Charging a Capacitor

Switching Waveforms

PDP and EDP

CMOS Energy & Power Equations

Power Dissipation Sources

Switching Power Consumption

Lowering Switching Power

Short Circuit Power Consumption

Short Circuit Current Determinants

Impact of CL on Psc

Ipeak as a Function of CL

Psc as a Function of Rise/Fall Times

Switching Power Reduction

Clock Gating

Capacitance

Voltage/Frequency

Static Power

Leakage (Static) Power Consumption

Leakage as a Function of VT

TSMC Processes Leakage and VT

Exponential Increase in Leakage Currents

Leakage Control

Gate Leakage

Junction Leakage

Power Gating

Review: Energy & Power Equations

Switching Power as a Function of Device Size

Switching Power Consumption is Data Dependent

NOR Gate Transition Probabilities