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Design Verification and Test of 
Digital VLSI Circuits 
NPTEL Video Course 
Module-I 
Lecture-I 
Introduction to Digital VLSI Design Flow 
Page 2


Design Verification and Test of 
Digital VLSI Circuits 
NPTEL Video Course 
Module-I 
Lecture-I 
Introduction to Digital VLSI Design Flow 
Introduction 
The functionality of electronics equipments and gadgets has achieved a 
phenomenal while their physical sizes and weights have come down drastically.  
The major reason is due to the rapid advances in integration technologies, which 
enables fabrication of millions of transistors in a single Integrated Circuit (IC) or 
chip.   
 
IC (used interchangeably with “chip” in this course) is a device having multiple 
transistors with interconnects manufactured on a single silicon substrate. 
 
 Integration with a complexity of 10’s of transistors is called Small Scale Integration, 
with 100’s is Medium Scale Integration (MSI), with 1000’s is Large Scale Integration 
(LSI), with 10,000 it is Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI)  
 
Systems of systems can be implemented in a VLSI IC. However, with this rise in 
functionality of VLSI ICs, design problem has become huge and complex.  
Page 3


Design Verification and Test of 
Digital VLSI Circuits 
NPTEL Video Course 
Module-I 
Lecture-I 
Introduction to Digital VLSI Design Flow 
Introduction 
The functionality of electronics equipments and gadgets has achieved a 
phenomenal while their physical sizes and weights have come down drastically.  
The major reason is due to the rapid advances in integration technologies, which 
enables fabrication of millions of transistors in a single Integrated Circuit (IC) or 
chip.   
 
IC (used interchangeably with “chip” in this course) is a device having multiple 
transistors with interconnects manufactured on a single silicon substrate. 
 
 Integration with a complexity of 10’s of transistors is called Small Scale Integration, 
with 100’s is Medium Scale Integration (MSI), with 1000’s is Large Scale Integration 
(LSI), with 10,000 it is Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI)  
 
Systems of systems can be implemented in a VLSI IC. However, with this rise in 
functionality of VLSI ICs, design problem has become huge and complex.  
Introduction 
• To address this complexly issue, after the design specifications are complete 
almost all the other steps are automated using CAD tools. 
•However, even designs automated using CAD tools may have bugs.  
 
•Also, due to extremely large size of the design space it is not 
possible to verify correctness of the design under all possible 
situations.  
•So technique are required that can verify, without exercising exhaustive 
input-output combinations, that the design meets all the input specifications; 
this technique is called formal verification.  
 
•In VLSI designs millions of transistors are packed into a single chip. This leads to 
manufacturing defects and all the chips need to be physically tested by giving input 
signals from a pattern generator and comparing responses using a logic analyzer; 
this process is called Testing.  
 
So, in the process of manufacturing a VLSI IC there are three broad 
steps: DESIGN-VERIFICATION-TEST.   
Page 4


Design Verification and Test of 
Digital VLSI Circuits 
NPTEL Video Course 
Module-I 
Lecture-I 
Introduction to Digital VLSI Design Flow 
Introduction 
The functionality of electronics equipments and gadgets has achieved a 
phenomenal while their physical sizes and weights have come down drastically.  
The major reason is due to the rapid advances in integration technologies, which 
enables fabrication of millions of transistors in a single Integrated Circuit (IC) or 
chip.   
 
IC (used interchangeably with “chip” in this course) is a device having multiple 
transistors with interconnects manufactured on a single silicon substrate. 
 
 Integration with a complexity of 10’s of transistors is called Small Scale Integration, 
with 100’s is Medium Scale Integration (MSI), with 1000’s is Large Scale Integration 
(LSI), with 10,000 it is Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI)  
 
Systems of systems can be implemented in a VLSI IC. However, with this rise in 
functionality of VLSI ICs, design problem has become huge and complex.  
Introduction 
• To address this complexly issue, after the design specifications are complete 
almost all the other steps are automated using CAD tools. 
•However, even designs automated using CAD tools may have bugs.  
 
•Also, due to extremely large size of the design space it is not 
possible to verify correctness of the design under all possible 
situations.  
•So technique are required that can verify, without exercising exhaustive 
input-output combinations, that the design meets all the input specifications; 
this technique is called formal verification.  
 
•In VLSI designs millions of transistors are packed into a single chip. This leads to 
manufacturing defects and all the chips need to be physically tested by giving input 
signals from a pattern generator and comparing responses using a logic analyzer; 
this process is called Testing.  
 
So, in the process of manufacturing a VLSI IC there are three broad 
steps: DESIGN-VERIFICATION-TEST.   
Introduction 
• VLSI ICs can be divided into analog, digital or mixed-signal (both analog and 
digital on the same chip) based on their functionality.  
 
•Digital ICs can contain logic gates, flip-flops, multiplexers,  
•Work using binary mathematics to process "one" and "zero" signals.   
 
•Analog ICs, such as current mirrors, voltage followers, filters, OPAMPs etc. work by 
processing continuous signals.  
 
•When single IC has both analog and digital components it is called mixed signal IC 
e.g, Analog to Digital Converter (ADC).  
 
•The automation algorithms and CAD tools are mainly available for digital ICs 
because transformation of design specifications to silicon implementation can be 
accomplished using logical procedures (which can be converted to algorithms and 
tools).  
•However, most of the analog circuits design is like an “art” which is best 
performed by designers with “aid” of some CAD tools (which provides feedback to 
designer if the manual design is progressing fine etc.) 
Page 5


Design Verification and Test of 
Digital VLSI Circuits 
NPTEL Video Course 
Module-I 
Lecture-I 
Introduction to Digital VLSI Design Flow 
Introduction 
The functionality of electronics equipments and gadgets has achieved a 
phenomenal while their physical sizes and weights have come down drastically.  
The major reason is due to the rapid advances in integration technologies, which 
enables fabrication of millions of transistors in a single Integrated Circuit (IC) or 
chip.   
 
IC (used interchangeably with “chip” in this course) is a device having multiple 
transistors with interconnects manufactured on a single silicon substrate. 
 
 Integration with a complexity of 10’s of transistors is called Small Scale Integration, 
with 100’s is Medium Scale Integration (MSI), with 1000’s is Large Scale Integration 
(LSI), with 10,000 it is Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI)  
 
Systems of systems can be implemented in a VLSI IC. However, with this rise in 
functionality of VLSI ICs, design problem has become huge and complex.  
Introduction 
• To address this complexly issue, after the design specifications are complete 
almost all the other steps are automated using CAD tools. 
•However, even designs automated using CAD tools may have bugs.  
 
•Also, due to extremely large size of the design space it is not 
possible to verify correctness of the design under all possible 
situations.  
•So technique are required that can verify, without exercising exhaustive 
input-output combinations, that the design meets all the input specifications; 
this technique is called formal verification.  
 
•In VLSI designs millions of transistors are packed into a single chip. This leads to 
manufacturing defects and all the chips need to be physically tested by giving input 
signals from a pattern generator and comparing responses using a logic analyzer; 
this process is called Testing.  
 
So, in the process of manufacturing a VLSI IC there are three broad 
steps: DESIGN-VERIFICATION-TEST.   
Introduction 
• VLSI ICs can be divided into analog, digital or mixed-signal (both analog and 
digital on the same chip) based on their functionality.  
 
•Digital ICs can contain logic gates, flip-flops, multiplexers,  
•Work using binary mathematics to process "one" and "zero" signals.   
 
•Analog ICs, such as current mirrors, voltage followers, filters, OPAMPs etc. work by 
processing continuous signals.  
 
•When single IC has both analog and digital components it is called mixed signal IC 
e.g, Analog to Digital Converter (ADC).  
 
•The automation algorithms and CAD tools are mainly available for digital ICs 
because transformation of design specifications to silicon implementation can be 
accomplished using logical procedures (which can be converted to algorithms and 
tools).  
•However, most of the analog circuits design is like an “art” which is best 
performed by designers with “aid” of some CAD tools (which provides feedback to 
designer if the manual design is progressing fine etc.) 
Introduction 
• In this course we will deal only with digital VLSI circuits. Henceforth, in this course 
VLSI IC would imply digital VLSI ICs only and whenever we want to discuss about 
analog or mixed signal ICs it will be mentioned explicitly. Also, in this course the 
terms ICs and chips would mean VLSI ICs and chips.  
 
 
 
• This course is concerned with algorithms required to automate the three steps 
“DESIGN-VERIFICATION-TEST” for Digital VLSI ICs.  
 
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FAQs on Introduction to Digital VLSI Design Flow - PPT, Engg., Sem. - Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE)

1. What is the digital VLSI design flow?
Ans. The digital VLSI design flow is a set of sequential steps followed to design and fabricate integrated circuits (ICs) using Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) techniques. It involves various stages such as system specification, architecture design, logic design, circuit design, physical design, design verification, and tape-out.
2. What is the role of digital VLSI design in Electronics and Communication Engineering?
Ans. Digital VLSI design plays a crucial role in Electronics and Communication Engineering as it focuses on the design and implementation of digital circuits and systems using VLSI techniques. It enables the development of high-performance and low-power integrated circuits for applications such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, memory chips, and communication devices.
3. What are the key steps involved in the digital VLSI design flow?
Ans. The key steps involved in the digital VLSI design flow are as follows: 1. System Specification: Defining the requirements and specifications of the desired system. 2. Architecture Design: Designing the high-level structure and functionality of the system. 3. Logic Design: Creating a digital circuit representation of the system using hardware description languages (HDLs) such as VHDL or Verilog. 4. Circuit Design: Implementing the logic design using basic digital building blocks like gates, flip-flops, and multiplexers. 5. Physical Design: Placing and routing the circuit components to create a physical layout of the IC. 6. Design Verification: Ensuring the correct functionality and performance of the design through simulation, testing, and formal verification techniques. 7. Tape-Out: Creating the final design database for fabrication.
4. What are the challenges in digital VLSI design?
Ans. Some of the challenges in digital VLSI design include: 1. Increasing complexity: With the advancement of technology, the complexity of digital designs is increasing, requiring designers to handle billions of transistors and intricate circuitry. 2. Power consumption: Designing low-power circuits is a significant challenge due to the increasing demand for energy-efficient devices. 3. Time-to-market pressure: Designers face tight schedules and deadlines to meet market demands, requiring efficient design methodologies and tools. 4. Design optimization: Achieving optimal performance, area, and power trade-offs is a challenge, as improvements in one aspect may negatively impact others. 5. Design verification: Ensuring the correctness and reliability of the design through extensive verification and testing poses challenges due to the complexity of modern designs.
5. What is the significance of design verification in digital VLSI design?
Ans. Design verification is of utmost importance in digital VLSI design as it ensures the correctness and reliability of the design before fabrication. It involves various techniques such as simulation, formal verification, and testing to detect and resolve design flaws, bugs, and functional errors. Design verification helps in identifying and fixing design issues early in the design flow, reducing time and cost associated with rework. It also helps in meeting the design specifications, improving the overall quality and reliability of the final integrated circuit.
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