Integrated Circuit Design for Artificial Intelligence

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course introduces students to IC design fundamentals through the motivating context of artificial intelligence hardware. AI serves both as the goal application and as a lens to revisit basic analog / digital circuit principles. Students will use industry-standard Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools such as Cadence Virtuoso and Synopsys Design Compiler. The course emphasizes the workflow from Verilog hardware description through synthesis, place-and-route, physical layout verification and chip integration, connecting device-level behaviors to AI system requirements. A semester-long project is the highlight, where students design and simulate a simplified AI accelerator block such as a multiply–accumulate array or neural network operator. This integrates Verilog coding, EDA workflows, and layout verification with an understanding of power, performance, and area trade-offs. By engaging with AI hardware as the design target, students both strengthen their circuit fundamentals and gain practical skills aligned with the needs of the semiconductor industry. This course supports the department’s mission to prepare engineers for the AI-driven future, enhancing electrical engineering curriculum while equipping students with tools and perspectives relevant to careers in semiconductors, computer engineering, and AI hardware research. Prerequisite courses include EE 20231 Digital Design, EE 20241 Electronic Devices and Systems, EE 30142 - Analog and Digital Circuit Design