In the realm of semiconductor design and verification, RTL (Register Transfer Level) design serves as a cornerstone. It’s a crucial methodology that allows engineers to model, simulate, and verify digital circuits efficiently. This comprehensive guide will take you through the essentials of RTL design, its significance in semiconductor verification, and how to navigate the landscape. What is RTL Design? Understanding the Basics RTL design refers to theabstraction level used in digital design , where a circuit is described in terms of its register transfers and the operations performed on data as it moves between registers. This approach allows designers to focus on the functionality of the circuit without getting bogged down by lower-level details, such as gate-level implementations. Key Components of RTL Design Registers: Storage elements that hold data. Data Transfers: Movement of data between registers. Operations: Functions performed on the data, like...
The term SoC verification is becoming as widespread in the fast-paced semiconductor design field as the chips. However, it remains unclear to many engineers, managers, and even passionate hobbyists what this process actually involves- and why it is relevant to the success of any system-on-chip (SOC) project. This paper takes a walk through the inner workings of SoC verification, discusses the advanced design verification methodology which it is built upon, the tools and languages which make it all possible, i.e. SV (SystemVerilog) and UVM (Universal Versification Methodology) and what a company such as Pulsewave semi can do to help you get your head around all this. Why SoC Verification is the Base of Chip Reliability. A contemporary SoC is an amazingly compact device: it has CPUs, GPUs, memory controllers, I/O blocks, RF front-ends and more, all on a single die. This complexity alone creates a maze of possible bugs which can cost firms millions in lost time, scraps o...