Download Why am I learning this?

What I will/have learned from class.
• Learn what goes inside a chip:
– Transistors, Devices, Wires, Logic, Memory.
• Learn how this chip works:
– CMOS logic, gate sizing, delay, skew, noise.
• Learn the important performance features:
– Cost, area, delay, speed, power, reliability.
• Learn how these perf. features will change in future:
– Cost, area, delay, power, reliability
• Analog???
Why do I care?
• Get a job in chip design: Intel, Micron, Lattice, nVidia
– Build/simulate memory(RAM), logic, timing closure,
RC extraction, full-top level chip simulations.
• Work for embedded systems: Garmin, Intel, FuelBand
– Use microchips. Understand why they burn power, why
some chips are faster than others, what affects on-chip RAM.
• Work in small software: AngryBirds, Snapchat
– Why android code runs fast/slow, lasts 1-hour vs. 1-week.
• Work in large software: Amazon, Microsoft, Google, etc.
– Why some code performs faster, more energy-efficient,
how power gets consumed in the cloud.
Chip examples