InterviewSolution
This section includes InterviewSolutions, each offering curated multiple-choice questions to sharpen your knowledge and support exam preparation. Choose a topic below to get started.
| 1. |
What Is Local-skew, Global-skew,useful-skew Mean? |
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Answer» LOCAL SKEW : The difference between the clock reaching at the launching flop vs the clock reaching the destination flip-flop of a timing-path. Global skew : The difference between the earliest reaching flip-flop and latest reaching flip-flop for a same clock-domain. Useful skew: Useful skew is a concept of delaying the capturing flip-flop clock path, this approach helps in meeting SETUP requirement with in the LAUNCH and capture timing path. But the hold-requirement has to be met for the DESIGN. Local skew : The difference between the clock reaching at the launching flop vs the clock reaching the destination flip-flop of a timing-path. Global skew : The difference between the earliest reaching flip-flop and latest reaching flip-flop for a same clock-domain. Useful skew: Useful skew is a concept of delaying the capturing flip-flop clock path, this approach helps in meeting setup requirement with in the launch and capture timing path. But the hold-requirement has to be met for the design. |
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| 2. |
What Is The Difference Between Latches And Flip-flops Based Designs? |
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Answer» Latches are level-sensitive and flip-flops are EDGE sensitive. LATCH based design and flop based design is that latch allowes time borrowing which a tradition flop does not. That makes latch based design more efficient. But at the same time, latch based design is more complicated and has more issues in min timing (races). Its STA with time borrowing in deep pipelining can be quite COMPLEX. Latches are level-sensitive and flip-flops are edge sensitive. latch based design and flop based design is that latch allowes time borrowing which a tradition flop does not. That makes latch based design more efficient. But at the same time, latch based design is more complicated and has more issues in min timing (races). Its STA with time borrowing in deep pipelining can be quite complex. |
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| 3. |
What Is Tie-high And Tie-low Cells And Where It Is Used? |
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Answer» Tie-HIGH and Tie-Low cells are used to connect the gate of the TRANSISTOR to either power or ground. In DEEP sub micron processes, if the gate is connected to power/ground the transistor might be turned on/off due to power or ground bounce. The suggestion from foundry is to use tie cells for this purpose. These cells are PART of standard-cell library. The cells which REQUIRE Vdd, comes and connect to Tie high...(so tie high is a power supply cell)...while the cells which wants Vss connects itself to Tie-low. Tie-high and Tie-Low cells are used to connect the gate of the transistor to either power or ground. In deep sub micron processes, if the gate is connected to power/ground the transistor might be turned on/off due to power or ground bounce. The suggestion from foundry is to use tie cells for this purpose. These cells are part of standard-cell library. The cells which require Vdd, comes and connect to Tie high...(so tie high is a power supply cell)...while the cells which wants Vss connects itself to Tie-low. |
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| 4. |
We Have Multiple Instances In Rtl(register Transfer Language), Do You Do Anything Special During Synthesis Stage? |
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Answer» While writing RTL(Register Transfer language),say in verilog or in VHDL language, we dont write the same module functionality again and again, we use a concept called as instantiation, where in as per the language, the instanciation of a module will behave like the parent module in terms of functionality, where during synthesis stage we need the full code so that the synthesis tool can STUDY the logic , structure and map it to the LIBRARY cells, so we use a command in synthesis , called as "UNIQUIFY" which will REPLACE the instantiations with the real logic, because once we are in a synthesis stages we have to visualize as real cells and no more modelling just for functionality ALONE, we need to visualize in-terms of PHYSICAL world as well. While writing RTL(Register Transfer language),say in verilog or in VHDL language, we dont write the same module functionality again and again, we use a concept called as instantiation, where in as per the language, the instanciation of a module will behave like the parent module in terms of functionality, where during synthesis stage we need the full code so that the synthesis tool can study the logic , structure and map it to the library cells, so we use a command in synthesis , called as "UNIQUIFY" which will replace the instantiations with the real logic, because once we are in a synthesis stages we have to visualize as real cells and no more modelling just for functionality alone, we need to visualize in-terms of physical world as well. |
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| 5. |
What Are The Different Classification Of The Timing Control? |
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Answer» There are different classification in which the timing control data is DIVIDED and they are:
There are different classification in which the timing control data is divided and they are: |
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| 6. |
What Is The Difference Between Cmos And Bipolar Technologies? |
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| 7. |
What Is The Difference Between Nmos And Pmos Technologies? |
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| 8. |
What Is The Purpose Of Having Depletion Mode Device? |
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Answer» Depletion modes are used in MOSFET it is a device that remains ON at zero gate-source voltage. This device consists of load resistors that are used in the LOGIC circuits. This types are used in N-type depletion-load DEVICES that allow the threshold voltages to be taken and use of -3 V to +3V is done. The drain is more positive in this comparison of PMOS where the polarities gets reversed. The MODE is usually determined by the SIGN of threshold voltage for N-type channel. Depletion mode is the positive one and used in many technologies to represent the actual logic circuit. It defines the logic family that is dependent on the silicon VLSI. This consists of pull-down switches and loads for pull-ups. Depletion modes are used in MOSFET it is a device that remains ON at zero gate-source voltage. This device consists of load resistors that are used in the logic circuits. This types are used in N-type depletion-load devices that allow the threshold voltages to be taken and use of -3 V to +3V is done. The drain is more positive in this comparison of PMOS where the polarities gets reversed. The mode is usually determined by the sign of threshold voltage for N-type channel. Depletion mode is the positive one and used in many technologies to represent the actual logic circuit. It defines the logic family that is dependent on the silicon VLSI. This consists of pull-down switches and loads for pull-ups. |
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| 9. |
What Is The Function Of Enhancement Mode Transistor? |
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Answer» The enhancement mode transistors are ALSO called as field effect transistors as they rely on the electric filed to control the shape and conductivity of the channel. This consists of one TYPE of charge CARRIER in a semiconductor material environment. This also uses the unipolar transistors to DIFFERENTIATE themselves with the single-carrier type operation transistors that consists of the bipolar junction transistor. The uses of field effect transistor is to physical implementation of the semiconductor materials that is compared with the bipolar transistors. It PROVIDES with the majority of the charge carrier devices. The devices that consists of active channels to make the charge carriers pass through. It consists of the concept of drain and the source. The enhancement mode transistors are also called as field effect transistors as they rely on the electric filed to control the shape and conductivity of the channel. This consists of one type of charge carrier in a semiconductor material environment. This also uses the unipolar transistors to differentiate themselves with the single-carrier type operation transistors that consists of the bipolar junction transistor. The uses of field effect transistor is to physical implementation of the semiconductor materials that is compared with the bipolar transistors. It provides with the majority of the charge carrier devices. The devices that consists of active channels to make the charge carriers pass through. It consists of the concept of drain and the source. |
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| 10. |
What Are The Steps Involved In Designing An Optimal Pad Ring? |
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| 11. |
What Is The Function Of Chain Reordering? |
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Answer» The optimization technique that is used makes it difficult for the chain ordering system to route due to the congestion caused by the placement of the CELLS. There are tool available that automate the reordering of the chain to reduce the congestion that is produced at the first stage. It increases the problem of the chain system and this also ALLOW the overcoming of the buffers that have to be inserted into the scan PATH. The increase of the hold time in the chain reordering can CAUSE great amount of delay. Chain reordering allows the cell to be come in the ordered format while using the DIFFERENT clock domains. It is used to reduce the time delay caused by random generation of the element and the placement of it. The optimization technique that is used makes it difficult for the chain ordering system to route due to the congestion caused by the placement of the cells. There are tool available that automate the reordering of the chain to reduce the congestion that is produced at the first stage. It increases the problem of the chain system and this also allow the overcoming of the buffers that have to be inserted into the scan path. The increase of the hold time in the chain reordering can cause great amount of delay. Chain reordering allows the cell to be come in the ordered format while using the different clock domains. It is used to reduce the time delay caused by random generation of the element and the placement of it. |
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| 12. |
Write A Program To Explain The Comparator? |
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Answer» To make a comparator there is a REQUIREMENT to use multiplexer that is having one input and many OUTPUTS. This allows the choosing of the maximum numbers that are required to design the comparator. The implementation of the 2 bit comparator can be done using the law of tigotomy that states that A > B, A < B, A = B (Law of trigotomy). The comparator can be implemented using: combinational logic circuits or MULTIPLEXERS that uses the HDL language to write the schematic at RTL and gate level. Behavioral model of comparator represented like: MODULE comp0 (Y1,y2,y3,a,b); To make a comparator there is a requirement to use multiplexer that is having one input and many outputs. This allows the choosing of the maximum numbers that are required to design the comparator. The implementation of the 2 bit comparator can be done using the law of tigotomy that states that A > B, A < B, A = B (Law of trigotomy). The comparator can be implemented using: combinational logic circuits or multiplexers that uses the HDL language to write the schematic at RTL and gate level. Behavioral model of comparator represented like: module comp0 (y1,y2,y3,a,b); |
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| 13. |
What Are The Different Design Techniques Required To Create A Layout For Digital Circuits? |
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Answer» The different design techniques to create the Layout for digital circuits are as follows:
The different design techniques to create the Layout for digital circuits are as follows: |
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| 14. |
What Is The Difference Between Synchronous And Asynchronous Reset? |
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| 15. |
What Is The Difference Between The Mealy And Moore State Machine? |
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| 16. |
What Are The Different Measures That Are Required To Achieve The Design For Better Yield? |
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Answer» To achieve better yeild then there should be reduction in maufacturability flaws. The circuit perfomance has to be high that REDUCES the parametric yield. This reduction is due to process variations The measures that can be taken are:
To achieve better yeild then there should be reduction in maufacturability flaws. The circuit perfomance has to be high that reduces the parametric yield. This reduction is due to process variations The measures that can be taken are: |
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| 17. |
What Are The Changes That Are Provided To Meet Design Power Targets? |
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Answer» To meet the design power TARGET there should be a process to design with Multi-VDD designs, this area requires high performance, and also the high VDD that requires low-performance. This is USED to create the voltage group that allow the appropriate level-shifter to shift and placed in cross-voltage DOMAINS. There is a design with the MULTIPLE threshold voltages that require high performance when the Vt becomes low. This have lots of current leakage that makes the Vt cell to lower the performance. The reduction can be performed in the leakage power as the clock in this consume more power, so placing of an optimal clock controls the module and allow it to be given more power. Clock tree allow the SWITCHING to take place when the clock buffers are used by the clock gating cells and reduce the switching by the power reduction. To meet the design power target there should be a process to design with Multi-VDD designs, this area requires high performance, and also the high VDD that requires low-performance. This is used to create the voltage group that allow the appropriate level-shifter to shift and placed in cross-voltage domains. There is a design with the multiple threshold voltages that require high performance when the Vt becomes low. This have lots of current leakage that makes the Vt cell to lower the performance. The reduction can be performed in the leakage power as the clock in this consume more power, so placing of an optimal clock controls the module and allow it to be given more power. Clock tree allow the switching to take place when the clock buffers are used by the clock gating cells and reduce the switching by the power reduction. |
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| 18. |
What Are The Different Types Of Skews Used In Vlsi? |
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Answer» There are three types of skew that are used in VLSI. The skew are used in clock to reduce the delay or to understand the process accordingly. The skew are as FOLLOWS: Local skew: This contain the difference between the launching flip-flop and the destination flip-flop. This defines a time path between the two. Global skew: Defines the difference between the earliest COMPONENT reaching the flip flow and the the latest arriving at the flip flow with the same clock domain. In this delays are not measured and the clock is provided the same. Useful skew: Defines the delay in capturing a flip flop paths that helps in setting up the environment with SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT for the launch and capture of the timing path. The hold requirement in this CASE has to be met for the design purpose. There are three types of skew that are used in VLSI. The skew are used in clock to reduce the delay or to understand the process accordingly. The skew are as follows: Local skew: This contain the difference between the launching flip-flop and the destination flip-flop. This defines a time path between the two. Global skew: Defines the difference between the earliest component reaching the flip flow and the the latest arriving at the flip flow with the same clock domain. In this delays are not measured and the clock is provided the same. Useful skew: Defines the delay in capturing a flip flop paths that helps in setting up the environment with specific requirement for the launch and capture of the timing path. The hold requirement in this case has to be met for the design purpose. |
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| 19. |
What Are The Different Design Constraints Occur In The Synthesis Phase? |
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Answer» The steps that are involved in which the design constraint OCCURS are:
The steps that are involved in which the design constraint occurs are: |
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| 20. |
What Are The Steps Involved In Preventing The Metastability? |
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Answer» Metastability is the unknown state and it prevents the violations using the following steps:
Metastability is the unknown state and it prevents the violations using the following steps: |
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| 21. |
What Is The Main Function Of Metastability In Vsdl? |
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Answer» Metastability is an unknown state that is given as neither one or zero. It is used in designing the SYSTEM that violates the setup or hole time REQUIREMENTS. The setup time requirement need the data to be stable before the clock-edge and the hold time requires the data to be stable after the clock edge has passed. There are potential violation that can lead to setup and hold violations as well. The data that is produced in this is totally asynchronous and clocked synchronous. This provide a way to setup the state through which it can be known that the violations that are OCCURING in the system and a PROPER design can be provided by the USE of several other functions. Metastability is an unknown state that is given as neither one or zero. It is used in designing the system that violates the setup or hole time requirements. The setup time requirement need the data to be stable before the clock-edge and the hold time requires the data to be stable after the clock edge has passed. There are potential violation that can lead to setup and hold violations as well. The data that is produced in this is totally asynchronous and clocked synchronous. This provide a way to setup the state through which it can be known that the violations that are occuring in the system and a proper design can be provided by the use of several other functions. |
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| 22. |
What Is The Function Of Tie-high And Tie-low Cells? |
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Answer» Tie-high and tie-low are used to connect the transistors of the gate by using either the power or the ground. The gates are connected using the power or ground then it can be turned off and on due to the power bounce from the ground. The cells are used to STOP the bouncing and easy from of the current from one CELL to ANOTHER. These cells are required VDD that connects to the tie-high cell as there is a power supply that is high and tie-low gets connected to Vss. This connection gets ESTABLISHED and the transistors function properly without the need of any ground bounce occurring in any cell. Tie-high and tie-low are used to connect the transistors of the gate by using either the power or the ground. The gates are connected using the power or ground then it can be turned off and on due to the power bounce from the ground. The cells are used to stop the bouncing and easy from of the current from one cell to another. These cells are required Vdd that connects to the tie-high cell as there is a power supply that is high and tie-low gets connected to Vss. This connection gets established and the transistors function properly without the need of any ground bounce occurring in any cell. |
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| 23. |
What Are The Different Ways In Which Antenna Violation Can Be Prevented? |
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Answer» Antenna violation occurs during the process of PLASMA etching in which the CHARGES generating from one metal strip to another gets accumlated at a single place. The longer the strip the more the charges gets accumulated. The PREVENTION can be done by following method:
Antenna violation occurs during the process of plasma etching in which the charges generating from one metal strip to another gets accumlated at a single place. The longer the strip the more the charges gets accumulated. The prevention can be done by following method: |
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| 24. |
What Are The Steps Required To Solve Setup And Hold Violations In Vlsi? |
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Answer» There are few steps that has to be performed to solved the SETUP and hold violations in VLSI. The steps are as follows:
There are few steps that has to be performed to solved the setup and hold violations in VLSI. The steps are as follows: |
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| 25. |
Give Various Factors On Which Threshold Voltage Depends? |
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Answer» As discussed in the above QUESTION, the Vt DEPENDS on the VOLTAGE CONNECTED to the BODY terminal. It also depends on the temperature, the magnitude of Vt decreases by about 2mV for every 1oC rise in temperature. As discussed in the above question, the Vt depends on the voltage connected to the Body terminal. It also depends on the temperature, the magnitude of Vt decreases by about 2mV for every 1oC rise in temperature. |
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| 26. |
Explain Depletion Region. |
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Answer» When a POSITIVE voltage is applied across GATE, it causes the free holes (positive CHARGE) to be repelled from the region of substrate under the Gate (the channel region). When these holes are pushed down the substrate they leave BEHIND a carrier-depletion region. When a positive voltage is applied across Gate, it causes the free holes (positive charge) to be repelled from the region of substrate under the Gate (the channel region). When these holes are pushed down the substrate they leave behind a carrier-depletion region. |
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| 27. |
Explain The Three Regions Of Operation Of A Mosfet? |
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Answer» Cut-off region: When VGS < VT, no CHANNEL is induced and the MOSFET will be in cut-off region. No CURRENT flows. Triode region: When VGS ≥ Vt, a channel will be induced and current starts flowing if VDS > 0. MOSFET will be in triode region as long as VDS < VGS - Vt. Saturation region: When VGS ≥ Vt, and VDS ≥ VGS - Vt, the channel will be in saturation mode, where the current value saturates. There will be little or no effect on MOSFET when VDS is further INCREASED. Cut-off region: When VGS < Vt, no channel is induced and the MOSFET will be in cut-off region. No current flows. Triode region: When VGS ≥ Vt, a channel will be induced and current starts flowing if VDS > 0. MOSFET will be in triode region as long as VDS < VGS - Vt. Saturation region: When VGS ≥ Vt, and VDS ≥ VGS - Vt, the channel will be in saturation mode, where the current value saturates. There will be little or no effect on MOSFET when VDS is further increased. |
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| 28. |
What Does It Mean "the Channel Is Pinched Off"? |
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Answer» For a MOSFET when VGS is greater than Vt, a channel is INDUCED. As we increase VDS CURRENT starts flowing from Drain to Source (triode region). When we further increase VDS, till the voltage between gate and channel at the drain end to become Vt, i.e. VGS - VDS = Vt, the channel depth at Drain end decreases ALMOST to zero, and the channel is said to be PINCHED off. This is where a MOSFET enters saturation region. For a MOSFET when VGS is greater than Vt, a channel is induced. As we increase VDS current starts flowing from Drain to Source (triode region). When we further increase VDS, till the voltage between gate and channel at the drain end to become Vt, i.e. VGS - VDS = Vt, the channel depth at Drain end decreases almost to zero, and the channel is said to be pinched off. This is where a MOSFET enters saturation region. |
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| 29. |
What Is Threshold Voltage? |
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Answer» The value of voltage between Gate and SOURCE i.e. VGS at which a sufficient NUMBER of MOBILE electrons accumulate in the channel region to form a conducting channel is called threshold voltage (Vt is POSITIVE for NMOS and negative for PMOS). The value of voltage between Gate and Source i.e. VGS at which a sufficient number of mobile electrons accumulate in the channel region to form a conducting channel is called threshold voltage (Vt is positive for NMOS and negative for PMOS). |
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| 30. |
What Are The Various Regions Of Operation Of Mosfet? How Are Those Regions Used? |
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Answer» MOSFET has THREE regions of operation: the cut-off REGION, the TRIODE region, and the saturation region. The cut-off region and the triode region are used to operate as SWITCH. The saturation region is used to operate as amplifier. MOSFET has three regions of operation: the cut-off region, the triode region, and the saturation region. The cut-off region and the triode region are used to operate as switch. The saturation region is used to operate as amplifier. |
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| 31. |
Why Does The Present Vlsi Circuits Use Mosfets Instead Of Bjts? |
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Answer» Compared to BJTs, MOSFETS can be made very small as they OCCUPY very small silicon area on IC chip and are relatively simple in TERMS of manufacturing. Moreover digital and memory ICs can be implemented with circuits that USE only MOSFETs i.e. no resistors, diodes, etc. Compared to BJTs, MOSFETs can be made very small as they occupy very small silicon area on IC chip and are relatively simple in terms of manufacturing. Moreover digital and memory ICs can be implemented with circuits that use only MOSFETs i.e. no resistors, diodes, etc. |
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