IC Design Fundamentals

This Master's (and Doctoral) course provides an introduction to silicon-based microelectronic systems, from the raw materials used in semiconductor fabrication to the design of integrated circuits. Students will explore the physical and electrical properties that make silicon the dominant material in the semiconductor industry, alongside key fabrication steps, structural elements, and the manufacturing challenges involved in integrated circuit production. The course is developed within the GreenChips-EDU project, a European Union initiative, and integrates a sustainability-oriented module focused on circular semiconductor manufacturing, responsible material sourcing, and low-impact design methodologies. During the course, students are encouraged to consider the environmental footprint of wafer processing, material selection, and chip packaging, while introducing strategies for energy-efficient circuit design and sustainable production workflows across the ASIC design flow.

Format: The course is held weekly during the winter term, and the professor will share a Zoom or Webex link in advance.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the unit, participants will be able to:

• Identify the main structural elements found in silicon microelectronic devices.
• Name the main fabrication steps in silicon microelectronics and explain the purpose of each.
• Identify undesired effects in silicon fabrication, such as bird's beak and lateral underdiffusion, and explain their impact on device geometry and performance.
• Differentiate between common silicon fabrication processes, such as CMOS, BiCMOS, SOI, and others, and identify their key structural and functional properties.
• Analyse the impact of external factors (e.g., temperature) and intrinsic device dimensions (e.g., channel width and length) on transistor performance. 
• Identify foundational digital circuit structures and explain their transistor-level implementation and operation. 
• Analyse how process variations and operating conditions, such as temperature and supply voltage, affect circuit performance, and identify factors influencing power consumption.