CSc 4250/6250 VLSI CAD & Computer Architecture Lab

CSc 4250/6250
VLSI CAD & Computer Architecture Laboratory

Syllabus

Fall Semester, 2005
4.0 Credits
CSc 4250 and CSc 6250
Classroom: CS room 400
Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:15 to 8:55 p.m.

Instructor: Dr. Michael Weeks
Office Hours: 5-6 Tuesday and Thursday

Computer Science Department
web-page: http://www.cs.gsu.edu/~cscmcw

Teaching Assistant: TBA
Lab hours: TBA
e-mail: TBA

TEXTS
Neil H. E. Weste and David Harris, CMOS VLSI Design: A Circuits and Systems Perspective, third edition, Addison Wesley, 2005.

Selected research articles.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course introduces design techniques and tools to design large-scale integrated circuits. The goals are to design and analyze digital integrated circuits in CMOS technology and to use modern Computer Aided Design tools. The approach is to start students at the transistor level and make small logic circuits (i.e. an inverter) then build up to a large design.

TOPICS

Basic logic functions (review): gates, flip-flops, latches and registers, counters, decoders, and sequencers.
Clocks, timing signals, sequential operations.
Transistors and CMOS technology.
CAD tools.
Design of custom integrated circuits.

FORMAT

There will be several homework assignments and one large lab project. There will be one midterm and one final test.

The team lab project will be due at the end of the course, and will synthesize the lab procedures and course content learned. This project will be developed jointly by all student members of a team, as will a report on the project. Part of the grade for the project will be based on a project presentation. Homework assignments will be made to accompany the topics covered.

PREREQUISITES

CSc 4210/6210 Computer Architecture.

GRADING

4250 Grade base

2 Tests (mid-term and final) will constitute 50% of the course grade.
3 - 4 Assignments will constitute 20% of the course grade.
The project will constitute 30% of the course grade. This includes a report, and an in-class presentation.

6250 Grade base

2 Tests (mid-term and final) will constitute 50% of the course grade. These tests may be different than that given for 4250.
4 - 5 Assignments will constitute 20% of the course grade. These assginments may be different than that given for 4250. One homework will be to review current research paper(s). You may also be expected to give a presentation of your review to the class.
The project will constitute 30% of the course grade. This includes a report, and an in-class presentation. The 6250 project report is expected to be more detailed than the one for 4250, including background material from other sources, and the appropriate citations.

The project for CSc 4250/6250 will be a team project. However, undergraduates and graduates should be on different teams.