Specialization Microelectronics

The specialization "Microelectronics" treats modern methods for the design of analog and digital integrated circuits, mainly ASICs. The analogue and digital building blocks are presented in detail. Students get to know methods to describe, simulate and verify circuits on the design level. Synthesis, layout and verification of digital, analogue or mixed mode integrated ASICs are treated. During lab courses, we use state of the art CAD software tools from the world leading company 'cadence'.

3 compulsory modules:

• Components, Basic Circuits & Simulation (components, small signal models, analog simulation, basic circuits,...)
• Digital Hardware Design (building blocks, HDL description, ASIC design flow, ...)
• Full Custom VLSI Design (technology, schematics, layout, DRC, LVS, skill scripts,...)

2 elective modules from:

• Advanced Analog Building Blocks (feedback, Miller effekt, multi stage amplifiers, differential topologies,...)
• Digital Semicustom Design Flow (synthesis, timing analysis, place & route, signal integrity, ...)
• Electronics (components, operational amplifiers, oscillators, PLL, power supplies, ADC,...)
• Functional Verification (simulation - based, formal methods, OVM, coverage,... )
• Microcontroller Based Embedded Systems 
• Reconfigurable Embedded Systems 
• Silicon Sensors & Readout Electronics (types, resolution, photo detection, charge amplification,...)

Model study plans:

The specialization can focus on digital design

or on analogue design