Practical VLSI & FPGA Design for Beginners

About Course

Step into the world of FPGA design and RTL coding with a hands-on, industry-focused course that goes far beyond syntax. You’ll learn how to write Verilog, simulate designs, debug waveforms, apply constraints, and bring circuits to life on FPGA boards. From LED blinkers to traffic light controllers, every project builds real-world skills used in chip design, FPGA prototyping, and ASIC flows.

FPGA & VLSI basics: LUTs, flip-flops, BRAM, toolchains
Verilog coding styles: Behavioral, Dataflow, Structural
Build combinational & sequential circuits (MUX, adders, counters, FSMs)
Write testbenches and debug with ModelSim/Vivado waveforms
Apply constraints & pin mapping for real FPGA boards
Master timing awareness: setup/hold, metastability, safe clock division
Program FPGA boards with blinking LEDs, counters, 7-segment displays
Debug like an engineer: reset strategies, timing closure, signal probes

Course Content

Digital Circuits
Digital electronics refresher (logic gates, K-maps, flip-flops, counters)

Logic Fundamentals
Boolean Simplification
K-Maps Visual Learning
Combinational Building Blocks
Sequential Logic Basics
Mini Design Challenge

VLSI Foundations & HDL Basics
Introduce students to the big picture of VLSI engineering while helping them transition from digital logic concepts to simple HDL (Verilog) representation.

HDL Coding & Simulation
Teach all three Verilog modeling styles (Behavioral, Dataflow, Structural) clearly and comparatively, followed by simulation and waveform verification.

FPGA Basics & Projects
Shift from simulation-only to real hardware implementation, teaching students how to take Verilog designs → synthesize → assign pins → program actual FPGA boards.

Sequential Logic & System Design
Teach students how to design state-based systems and simple datapath components (ALU, UART), and implement them fully on FPGA with real I/O interaction.

ASIC Design Flow & Mini Project
Introduce students to the industry-standard ASIC flow conceptually while giving them practical exposure to synthesis, timing closure, and mini-project implementation on FPGA.

Verification, Capstone & Career Skills
Prepare students for real-world roles in FPGA, ASIC Design, or Verification, while completing a Capstone Project that can be added to their resume & portfolio.

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About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

Digital Circuits Digital electronics refresher (logic gates, K-maps, flip-flops, counters)

Logic Fundamentals

Boolean Simplification

K-Maps Visual Learning

Combinational Building Blocks

Sequential Logic Basics

Mini Design Challenge

VLSI Foundations & HDL Basics Introduce students to the big picture of VLSI engineering while helping them transition from digital logic concepts to simple HDL (Verilog) representation.

Introduction to VLSI & Semiconductor Evolution

VLSI Design Flow & Industry Roles

From Digital Logic to HDL

Basic Combinational Circuits in Verilog

Simulation Process

Lab 1: 2:1 Multiplexer in Verilog

Lab 2: Full Adder in Verilog – Behavioral vs Structural Comparison

Lab 3: 4×1 Multiplexer and 3-bit Comparator in Verilog

HDL Coding & Simulation Teach all three Verilog modeling styles (Behavioral, Dataflow, Structural) clearly and comparatively, followed by simulation and waveform verification.

Comparing Verilog Modeling Styles

Dataflow Modeling Deep-Dive

Behavioral Modeling Deep-Dive

Structural Modeling & Hierarchical Design

Writing Testbenches + Waveform Analysis

Lab 1: 4-to-1 Multiplexer in All 3 Modeling Styles

Lab 2: 8-to-3 Encoder + 3-to-8 Decoder

Lab 3: 4-bit Up Counter with Testbench

FPGA Basics & Projects Shift from simulation-only to real hardware implementation, teaching students how to take Verilog designs → synthesize → assign pins → program actual FPGA boards.

What is an FPGA?

FPGA Toolchains Overview

Understanding Constraints & Pin Mapping

FPGA Programming Flow

Debugging & Timing Awareness

Lab 1: LED Blinker (Clock Divider)

Lab 2: 7-Segment Display Counter

Lab 3: Traffic Light Controller FSM

Sequential Logic & System Design Teach students how to design state-based systems and simple datapath components (ALU, UART), and implement them fully on FPGA with real I/O interaction.

Finite State Machines (FSM) Fundamentals

FSM in Verilog (Behavioral Approach)

ALU Design Concepts

UART Basics

System Integration

Lab 1: FSM-Based Traffic Light Controller (FPGA Demo)

Lab 2: 4-bit ALU with Switch Inputs & LED Output

Lab 3: UART Transmitter (Send Text/Pattern to PC via Serial)

ASIC Design Flow & Mini Project Introduce students to the industry-standard ASIC flow conceptually while giving them practical exposure to synthesis, timing closure, and mini-project implementation on FPGA.

ASIC vs FPGA Design Flow Comparison

What Happens After RTL? (Gate-Level View)

Timing Closure Basics

Synthesis Demo in Vivado / Quartus

How ASIC Floorplan & Routing Work

Mini Project: From RTL to FPGA – FSM, Counters & Timing Circuits

Verification, Capstone & Career Skills Prepare students for real-world roles in FPGA, ASIC Design, or Verification, while completing a Capstone Project that can be added to their resume & portfolio.

Functional Verification with Verilog Testbenches

Basic Assertions & SystemVerilog/UVM Overview

Understanding VLSI Job Roles & Career Paths

Resume Building for VLSI Roles

Interview Preparation & Mock Questions

Capstone Project Presentations & Feedback

Industry Preparation & “What Next?”