About VLSI and Opportunities:

Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) is the process of creating integrated circuits by putting millions and billions of transistors logically on a single chip. Simply, we can say it is called Chip Design.

The chip design includes several types of processing steps to finish the entire flow. For anyone, who want to start career in VLSI domain must understand all the steps of the VLSI design flow to become good in his/her area of operations.

We can mainly classify processing steps in to: Front End Design (Logic Design), Verification, Back End Design (Physical Design), Fabrication. 1 Click here for more information.
There are enormous job opportunities in the VLSI domain. One needs to have better understanding of the jobs available in it. In India, 70% of VLSI jobs are available in “VERIFICATION” field. The verification has huge demand as most of services companies work on verification projects. Verification Engineers - Verifies the design and makes sure that the design works properly.
So, we mainly focus on “VERIFICATION” Training and Placement Assistance. 2 Click here for more information.

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Front End Design (Logic Design): It describes the RTL (Register Transfer Level) logics using hardware description languages (HDLs) such as Verilog or VHDL. The RTL logic written is synthesized to get the gate level net list. Then, the gate level simulation of the logic is very important in the verification. The functional check, timing checks and the Power analysis checks are included in the verification.

Verification: The RTL logic written in HDL is verified using HVL like System Verilog. After verification, RTL logic written is synthesized to get the gate level net list. Then, the gate level simulation is done. (The functional check, timing checks and the Power analysis checks are included in the verification)

Back End Design (Physical Design): After the schematic is simulated (extract the logic design needed) and verified (logic design is verified, before doing its layout), the corresponding mask layers of the circuit are created. The layout design includes the floor planning, placement and routing. The locations of each schematic component are decided in the floor planning and are placed accordingly. While routing, the interconnections are done between the components. Then, parasitic extraction is done on layout design and simulated the system for performance.

Fabrication: Finally, the routed net-list that is called as GDS-II will be sent to the foundry and the chip will be manufactured as per the technology requirement.

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This “VERIFICATION” field is suitable for those students who are strong in electronics design fundamentals, programming skills, mathematical and analytical skills and with the strong interest in design and verification, can grow and make a very better career in this field.

There are career opportunities in product companies (like Samsung, TI, Broadcom, Qualcomm, etc) EDA companies (Cadence, Synopsis, Mentor Graphics) and design services companies (Wipro, Infosys, TCS, Sasken, etc). Application of VLSI includes mobile and consumer electronics, computing, telecommunications and networking, data processing, automotive, healthcare and industrial applications. So, simply we can say, VLSI circuits are everywhere around us in computer, car, digital camera, mobile phones, modem, pen drive, TV remote, washing machines, music system, etc. The increasing demand for consumer electronic items has increased various career opportunities in chip design industry especially in “VERIFICATION”. Almost all the MNCs provide VLSI design services in India.