A VLSI design system for teaching introduction to microelectronics

A set of software tools currently used for teaching a course on introduction to VLSI design to graduate and undergraduate students at Osaka University (Japan), the University of Toulouse (France), and the Polytechnical University of Barcelona (Spain), is described. The system includes tools such as schematic capture, mask-level design, and mix-mode simulation. Specific tools such as logic and analog simulation, three-dimensional process simulation, and CMOS logic cell compiler are also included in the software, which represents a valuable educational environment successfully used by a large number of students. The authors present an overview of the complete tool set, essential matters about MOS devices, and the CMOS process. They detail the techniques used for logic design, mask-level design, and mix-mode simulation. They discuss the interest of using such tools in such a course