RTL To GDSII: Installation and Tools Hands on Experience

Unlock the world of Physical Design and VLSI by mastering the essential tools and environment setup.

Transitioning from a Verilog design (RTL) to a manufacturable layout (GDSII) is one of the most challenging aspects of semiconductor engineering. Often, the biggest hurdle isn't just the theory—it's the complex task of installing, configuring, and running the specialized EDA tools required for the job. This course is specifically designed to bridge that gap.

In this hands-on workshop, you will go beyond textbook concepts and dive straight into the practicalities of the RTL-to-GDSII flow. We focus heavily on the "how-to" of tool installation and environment management, ensuring you have a stable platform to execute your designs. You will work with industry-relevant open-source tools (such as OpenLane, Yosys, and Magic) to understand every stage of the backend flow, including:

• Logic Synthesis: Converting RTL into a gate-level netlist.

• Floorplanning & Placement: Defining the physical constraints of your chip.

• Clock Tree Synthesis (CTS): Ensuring synchronous timing across the design.

• Routing & Physical Verification: Finalizing interconnects and checking for DRC/LVS errors.

By the end of this course, you won't just know the theory of Physical Design; you will have a fully functional toolchain on your own machine and the confidence to take a design from a blank slate to a final GDSII file. Whether you are a student, a hobbyist, or a professional looking to sharpen your backend skills, this course provides the technical foundation you need to succeed in the VLSI industry.