Scribd
Upload
38 views

Glossary of Digital VLSI Design Terms

Uploaded by

aakash
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
38 views

Glossary of Digital VLSI Design Terms

Uploaded by

aakash
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 10

GLOSSARY OF

DIGITAL VLSI
DESIGN TERM
A Quick Reference Guide to
VLSI Terminologies
GLOSSARY DIGITAL VLSI DESIGN

Concept/Term Definition

Application-Specific Integrated Circuit, a custom-


ASIC designed integrated circuit tailored for a specific
application.

The difference in arrival times of clock signals at


Clock Skew
different parts of a circuit.

Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor, a
CMOS
technology used in designing integrated circuits.

Design for Testability, designing circuits for ease of


DFT
testing and diagnosis.

Field-Programmable Gate Array, a reconfigurable


FPGA
integrated circuit used for various applications.

The basic building block of digital circuits, performing


Gate
logical functions.

Hardware Description Language, a specialized


HDL
programming language used to describe digital circuits.

Register Transfer Level, a level of abstraction in digital


RTL
design describing the flow of data between registers.

1 Copyright© 2024, ZaranTech LLC. All rights reserved


GLOSSARY DIGITAL VLSI DESIGN

Concept/Term Definition

Power The amount of power consumed by a circuit, usually


Dissipation measured in watts.

The process of converting RTL description into a gate-


RTL Synthesis
level netlist.

Static Timing Analysis of timing requirements in a digital design to


Analysis (STA) ensure proper circuit operation.

System on Chip, integrating all components of a


SoC
computer or electronic system into a single chip.

A hardware description language used for designing


Verilog
digital circuits.

Very Large Scale Integration, the process of creating


VLSI integrated circuits by combining thousands of
transistors.

The process of hiding lower-level implementation details


Abstraction
to focus on higher-level functionality.

The phase of VLSI design focusing on physical


Back-End Design implementation, including layout and manufacturing
considerations.

2 Copyright© 2024, ZaranTech LLC. All rights reserved


GLOSSARY DIGITAL VLSI DESIGN

Concept/Term Definition

Computer-Aided Design, using software tools to aid in


CAD
the design of integrated circuits.

Technique to reduce power consumption by gating clock


Clock Gating
signals to inactive circuit blocks.

The longest path through a circuit, determining the


Critical Path
maximum delay and thus the maximum clock frequency.

Digital Signal Processing of digital signals using specialized algorithms


Processing (DSP) implemented in hardware or software.

The initial phase of physical design where the placement


Floorplanning
of major functional blocks is determined.

Gate-Level Simulating a digital circuit at the gate level, evaluating


Simulation the behavior of individual logic gates.

A sequential logic circuit with two stable states, used for


Latch
storing information temporarily.

Layers of interconnects used to connect different


Metal Layers
components of an integrated circuit.

3 Copyright© 2024, ZaranTech LLC. All rights reserved


GLOSSARY DIGITAL VLSI DESIGN

Concept/Term Definition

The observation that the number of transistors in


Moore's Law integrated circuits doubles approximately every two
years.

A textual representation of a circuit in terms of its


Netlist
interconnected components and their connections.

Determining the physical location of logic gates and


Placement
other components on a chip.

Technique to reduce power consumption by shutting off


Power Gating
power supply to inactive circuit blocks.

A digital circuit capable of storing binary information,


Register
typically composed of flip-flops.

The process of determining paths for interconnecting


Routing
components in an integrated circuit.

A digital circuit whose output depends not only on the


Sequential Circuit
present inputs but also on past inputs.

The reliability of signals in a digital circuit, ensuring that


Signal Integrity
they maintain their integrity during transmission.

4 Copyright© 2024, ZaranTech LLC. All rights reserved


GLOSSARY DIGITAL VLSI DESIGN

Concept/Term Definition

Pre-designed and pre-characterized logic cells used in


Standard Cell
ASIC design, providing faster development time.

Timing constraints used in static timing analysis to define


STA Constraints
the timing requirements of a digital circuit.

The process of translating a high-level design description


Synthesis into a lower-level representation suitable for
implementation.

Ensuring that a digital design meets its timing


Timing Closure requirements, often achieved through iterative
optimizations.

The fundamental building block of digital circuits, used


Transistor
to amplify or switch electronic signals.

The process of ensuring that a digital design behaves as


Verification
intended, typically through simulation and testing.

A thin slice of semiconductor material (such as silicon)


Wafer
on which integrated circuits are fabricated.

The percentage of working integrated circuits on a


Yield
semiconductor wafer after manufacturing.

5 Copyright© 2024, ZaranTech LLC. All rights reserved


GLOSSARY DIGITAL VLSI DESIGN

Concept/Term Definition

Clock Domain When a signal crosses between different clock domains


Crossing in a digital circuit, requiring careful synchronization.

An integrated circuit with a prefabricated array of


Gate Array unconnected transistors, allowing for customization
through metal layers.

The process of translating a logical design into a physical


Physical Design
layout, considering constraints such as area and power.

Clock
The network of wires and buffers used to distribute clock
Distribution
signals across a chip.
Network (CDN)

The process of verifying whether a physical design meets


DRC (Design Rule
the manufacturing constraints and rules of the
Check)
fabrication process.

6 Copyright© 2024, ZaranTech LLC. All rights reserved


P.S. Want to Upskill
your VLSI workforce?
Check out our VLSI
course catalog.
Enjoyed
this?

One favor
to ask...
Sharing
=
caring

"Be a good friend.

Support free content with


a repost."

@vlsilearnercommunity

You might also like