Understanding the process of designing a chip is a complex one that requires years of experience and study. It could be broken down into several hierarchies, or stages, depending on how the problem is being analyzed.
These levels include system design, logic, circuit design, and layout design. Fabrication and testing are also included. These steps do not have to be in sequential order. Interactions are necessary for the practice to make things work. You can click over here to check various integrated circuits.
System Design: This stage specifies the main operations and specifications of the chip. This stage examines issues such as chip area, power, functionality, and costs while setting specifications. Sometimes the limitations of the available resources can be a problem during this stage.
A designer might want a chip that can work at 1.2V but the available technology cannot handle a voltage higher than 5V. This situation requires that the specifications be adjusted to meet the requirements of the tools available. It is a good idea to be familiar with the available process technology before designing and specifying the system.
Logic Design: This stage is where the designer implements logic networks that will realize the input-output characteristics defined in the previous stage. This usually consists of logic gates that have interconnecting wires. These are used to implement the design.
Circuit Design: The translation of various logic networks into electronic circuitries by using transistors is part of circuit design. These transistors can be used to perform different logic functions. Computer-aided design (CAD), tools are used to test the design and make comparisons between the results and the specifications of the chip.