Curriculum

Through our Curricula Advisory Board, Synopsys works closely with a team of academic experts to develop microelectronic design curriculum for Synopsys University Program members. Each full-semester course contains 15 weeks of material including syllabus, lectures, labs, home work and exams. Synopsys tools are used and applied in each lab for a thorough and practical understanding of theoretical concepts introduced in each of these courses. This courseware can be used as a new course or to supplement content in an existing course as needed.

Synopsys also offers curriculum support modules which vary in length and include more lectures and Synopsys tool training materials than the full-semester courseware.

All courseware described below may be downloaded from the Synopsys University Program Member Only website (requires SolvNet ID and password). If you are not yet a member of the Synopsys University Program, but want to know more, please contact the program administrator for your region.

Full Semester Courseware

VLSI Design Curriculum

Digital System Architecture and Design:
Bachelor Degree Courses:
Basics of Physical Design: Netlist to GDSII
Digital ASIC Design
Digital Integrated Circuits w/Custom Designer
IC Design
IC Design Flow (RAU)
IC Design Introduction
IC Simulation Theory - Updated!
IC Testing (EPFL)
IC Testing (SEUA)
Introduction to Circuits
Introduction to Electronic Circuits - New!
Introduction to Logic Design
Introduction to VLSI Design (UT)
I/O Design - Updated!
Logic Design
Synthesis of Digital Circuits
Master's Degree Courses:
Advanced Digital Integrated Circuits - New!
Advanced IC Physical Design
Crosstalk and Noise - Updated!
Design for Test
Design of Special I/Os
Digital Signal Processing
Digital VLSI Design
Low Power Design
Low Power Design with SAED 90nm EDK
Low Power Methodology
Modeling and Optimization of VLSI Interconnects - Updated!
Modeling and Verification with SystemVerilog
Nano-Scale Circuits and Systems (SFSU)
System-on-Chip Architecture Design
VLSI Design
VLSI Design Verification and Testing

Analog/RF Design:
Bachelor Degree Courses:
Analog Integrated Circuits
Analog Integrated Circuit Design
Introduction to RF Communication
RF Circuits
RF Circuits and Systems based on Custom Designer
Master's Degree Courses:
Advanced Analog Integrated Circuits - New!
Mixed Signal IC Design
RF IC Design

IC/Semiconductor Fabrication:
Bachelor Degree Courses:
IC Fabrication
Introduction to Semiconductor Devices - New!
Principles of Semiconductor Devices
Semiconductor Devices (SAED)
Semiconductor Technology - Updated!
VLSI Device and Process Simulation
Master's Degree Courses:
Semiconductor Transport Theory and Monte Carlo Device Simulation (ETH) - New!

Other:
Bachelor Degree Courses:
Computer Architecture
Introduction to Communication, Control, and Signal Processing - New!
Linear Algebra
Methods of Mathematical Physics - New!
Microprocessor Systems
Numerical Methods
Physical-Chemical Bases of Micro- and Nanoelectronics - New!
Quantum Theory and Statistical Physics - New!
Scripting Languages
System Level Design
Technical Writing
Master's Degree Courses:
Complex Functions
EDA Tools
Embedded Systems Design
Fourier Transformations
Fuzzy Logic
Introduction to Optical Communication Systems and Networks - New!
Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics - Updated!
Rad-hard IC Design
Senior Design Project
Solar Cell Physics (SVTI) - New!
Thermal and Electro-Thermal Simulation

EDA Curriculum

Digital System Architecture and Design:
Bachelor Degree Courses:
Hardware Description Languages
IC Design Introduction
Master's Degree Courses:
Low Power Design
Modeling and Optimization of VLSI Interconnects - Updated!
Semiconductor Devices and Technology
VLSI Design
VLSI Design Algorithms
VLSI Physical Design Algorithms - Updated!

Analog/RF Design:
Bachelor Degree Courses:
Analog Integrated Circuits

Other:
Bachelor Degree Courses:
Advanced Operating Systems - New!
Algorithms & Structural Programming
Computer Networks - New!
Data Structure - New!
Discrete Mathematics
EDA Introduction
EDA Mathematical Methods
Information Security
Linear Algebra
Numerical Methods
Optimization Methods
Programming Languages & Compilers - Updated!
Technical Writing
Theory of Algorithms
Master's Degree Courses:
Artificial Intelligence Systems - New!
Compilers Design - New!
Complex Functions
Computational Geometry - New!
Databases
Discrete Mathematics and Probability - New!
Fourier Transformations
Fuzzy Logic
Object-Oriented Programming
Operational Research
Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics - Updated!
Software Development Technology
Software Verification and Validation
VLSI Schematic Design Algorithms
VLSI Verification Algorithms

Curriculum Support Modules: Workshops and Lectures

Verification:
Mixed Signal IC Verification with Verilog-AMS
SystemVerilog/Verification Methodology Manual (VMM)
Verification with Verification Methodology Manual for Low Power
(VMM-LP)
Verilog HDL Basics

TCAD:
TCAD Course
TCAD for VLSI Design
TCAD Short Course
TCAD Quick Start Guide

Implementation:
90nm Digital Design Workshop – Updated!
ASIC Design Flow Tutorial Using Synopsys Tools
Digital Design Flow Based on PowerPC 405 Processor – Updated!
Full Custom IC Design Flow Using Synopsys Custom Tools (SFSU) – Updated!
Software Methodology Using Custom Designer
Synopsys Design Flow Tutorial
Synopsys IC Design Flow Based on 90nm Generic Library (SAED 90nm EDK)
UPF Workshop

Other:
Project Management

Short Lectures/Labs

Circuit Simulation:
Circuit Simulation: Transient Analysis
Techniques for Circuit Simulation
Thermal and Electro-Thermal Simulation: Achievements and Trends

Low Power Design:
A Structured Methodology for Verifying Low Power Designs
Low Power Exploration for IC Algorithm Design
Low Power Methodology Manual – New!
Power Intent and Unified Power Format (UPF)
Subthreshold Design and Implementation (RIT)
Synopsys Advanced Low Power Design Methodology
Verification Methodology Manual for Low Power (VMM-LP)

OpenSPARC:
Multi-threaded SPARC core verification using SystemVerilog Testbench
Synthesizing 64-bit OpenSPARC multi-threaded core on FPGA with Synopsys Synplify tool chain
Synthesizing a Design Using the 90nm Technology Library

Other:
Advanced RTL Verification Techniques
Basic Perl Programming
Embedded Systems Design
How to Create an Interoperable PDK
Introduction to Verilog HDL - New!
Power-Performance Optimization of Digital Circuits and Systems
Process Variation Aware Design
Sequential Elements - New!
Signal and Power Integrity: Current State and New Approaches
Statistical Techniques for Timing Analysis: Current State and Trends
TCAD Microelectronic Labs (IIT)

Tool Training

* FPGA: Advanced FPGA Synthesis using Synplify Pro and Synplify Premier Advanced FPGA Debugging with the Identify Tool

* ASIC Prototyping: ASIC Prototyping with the Certify® Tool

* Synphony HLS: Advanced Algorithm Implementation with Synphony HLS

* Requires SolvNet ID and password.

Training Kits: (Purchase required)
Synplicity IEEE-1364 Verilog University Kit
Synplicity IEEE-1076 VHDL University Kit