Open-Source Chip Design in Academic Education

Syed Anas Alam; Jakob Furbo Enevoldsen; Andreas Alkjaer Eriksen; Niels William Hartmann; Ulrik Helk; Jorgen Kragh Jakobsen; Christa Skytte Jensen; Nicolai Dyre Bulow Jespersen; Karl Herman Krause; Mads Rumle Nordstrom; Tjark Petersen; Luca Pezzarossa; Simon Winther Rasmussen; Martin Schoeberl; Jonas Ingerslev Sorensen

doi:10.1109/NorCAS57515.2022.9934685

Open-Source Chip Design in Academic Education

Syed Anas Alam, Jakob Furbo Enevoldsen, Andreas Alkjaer Eriksen, Niels William Hartmann, Ulrik Helk, Jorgen Kragh Jakobsen, Christa Skytte Jensen, Nicolai Dyre Bulow Jespersen, Karl Herman Krause, Mads Rumle Nordstrom, Tjark Petersen, Luca Pezzarossa^*, Simon Winther Rasmussen, Martin Schoeberl, Jonas Ingerslev Sorensen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Chip design is usually a high-effort, high-cost, and high- risk process. However, Google has recently taken the lead to bring chip design to a level where many engineers, researchers, and even students can actively participate. In this paper, we report on a course at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) where a group of BSc students were able to design and produce a chip using open-source tools and the SkyWater process. We present the toolchain, explain the implemented hardware architecture, and discuss the challenges encountered in the process as well as the learning values of the course. The project was finalized within one semester and has recently achieved tape-out for the next multi-project wafer manufacturing.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 2022 IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference, NorCAS
Number of pages	6
Publisher	IEEE
Publication date	2022
ISBN (Print)	979-8-3503-4551-3
ISBN (Electronic)	979-8-3503-4550-6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/NorCAS57515.2022.9934685
Publication status	Published - 2022
Event	8th IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference: NorCAS 2022 - Oslo, Norway Duration: 25 Oct 2022 → 26 Oct 2022

Conference

Conference	8th IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference
Country/Territory	Norway
City	Oslo
Period	25/10/2022 → 26/10/2022
Sponsor	IEEE, IEEE, Tampere University, University of Oslo

Keywords

Chip design
Chisel
Education
Open-source
Patmos processor

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10.1109/NorCAS57515.2022.9934685

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Alam, S. A., Enevoldsen, J. F., Eriksen, A. A., Hartmann, N. W., Helk, U., Jakobsen, J. K., Jensen, C. S., Bulow Jespersen, N. D., Krause, K. H., Nordstrom, M. R., Petersen, T., Pezzarossa, L., Rasmussen, S. W., Schoeberl, M., & Sorensen, J. I. (2022). Open-Source Chip Design in Academic Education. In Proceedings of the 2022 IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference, NorCAS IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/NorCAS57515.2022.9934685

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title = "Open-Source Chip Design in Academic Education",

abstract = "Chip design is usually a high-effort, high-cost, and high- risk process. However, Google has recently taken the lead to bring chip design to a level where many engineers, researchers, and even students can actively participate. In this paper, we report on a course at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) where a group of BSc students were able to design and produce a chip using open-source tools and the SkyWater process. We present the toolchain, explain the implemented hardware architecture, and discuss the challenges encountered in the process as well as the learning values of the course. The project was finalized within one semester and has recently achieved tape-out for the next multi-project wafer manufacturing.",

keywords = "Chip design, Chisel, Education, Open-source, Patmos processor",

author = "Alam, {Syed Anas} and Enevoldsen, {Jakob Furbo} and Eriksen, {Andreas Alkjaer} and Hartmann, {Niels William} and Ulrik Helk and Jakobsen, {Jorgen Kragh} and Jensen, {Christa Skytte} and {Bulow Jespersen}, {Nicolai Dyre} and Krause, {Karl Herman} and Nordstrom, {Mads Rumle} and Tjark Petersen and Luca Pezzarossa and Rasmussen, {Simon Winther} and Martin Schoeberl and Sorensen, {Jonas Ingerslev}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 IEEE.; 8th IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference : NorCAS 2022, NorCAS ; Conference date: 25-10-2022 Through 26-10-2022",

year = "2022",

doi = "10.1109/NorCAS57515.2022.9934685",

language = "English",

isbn = "979-8-3503-4551-3",

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Alam, SA, Enevoldsen, JF, Eriksen, AA, Hartmann, NW, Helk, U, Jakobsen, JK, Jensen, CS, Bulow Jespersen, ND, Krause, KH, Nordstrom, MR, Petersen, T, Pezzarossa, L, Rasmussen, SW, Schoeberl, M & Sorensen, JI 2022, Open-Source Chip Design in Academic Education. in Proceedings of the 2022 IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference, NorCAS. IEEE, 8th IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference, Oslo, Norway, 25/10/2022. https://doi.org/10.1109/NorCAS57515.2022.9934685

TY - GEN

T1 - Open-Source Chip Design in Academic Education

AU - Alam, Syed Anas

AU - Enevoldsen, Jakob Furbo

AU - Eriksen, Andreas Alkjaer

AU - Hartmann, Niels William

AU - Helk, Ulrik

AU - Jakobsen, Jorgen Kragh

AU - Jensen, Christa Skytte

AU - Bulow Jespersen, Nicolai Dyre

AU - Krause, Karl Herman

AU - Nordstrom, Mads Rumle

AU - Petersen, Tjark

AU - Pezzarossa, Luca

AU - Rasmussen, Simon Winther

AU - Schoeberl, Martin

AU - Sorensen, Jonas Ingerslev

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Chip design is usually a high-effort, high-cost, and high- risk process. However, Google has recently taken the lead to bring chip design to a level where many engineers, researchers, and even students can actively participate. In this paper, we report on a course at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) where a group of BSc students were able to design and produce a chip using open-source tools and the SkyWater process. We present the toolchain, explain the implemented hardware architecture, and discuss the challenges encountered in the process as well as the learning values of the course. The project was finalized within one semester and has recently achieved tape-out for the next multi-project wafer manufacturing.

AB - Chip design is usually a high-effort, high-cost, and high- risk process. However, Google has recently taken the lead to bring chip design to a level where many engineers, researchers, and even students can actively participate. In this paper, we report on a course at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) where a group of BSc students were able to design and produce a chip using open-source tools and the SkyWater process. We present the toolchain, explain the implemented hardware architecture, and discuss the challenges encountered in the process as well as the learning values of the course. The project was finalized within one semester and has recently achieved tape-out for the next multi-project wafer manufacturing.

KW - Chip design

KW - Chisel

KW - Education

KW - Open-source

KW - Patmos processor

U2 - 10.1109/NorCAS57515.2022.9934685

DO - 10.1109/NorCAS57515.2022.9934685

M3 - Article in proceedings

AN - SCOPUS:85142423854

SN - 979-8-3503-4551-3

BT - Proceedings of the 2022 IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference, NorCAS

PB - IEEE

T2 - 8th IEEE Nordic Circuits and Systems Conference

Y2 - 25 October 2022 through 26 October 2022

ER -

Open-Source Chip Design in Academic Education

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Keywords

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