Mohit Tripathi

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬! The semiconductor industry in India is experiencing an unprecedented hiring boom — gradually chipping away at IT placements and opening exciting opportunities for engineers across domains. 🔹 End-to-end hiring: RTL/SoC design, verification, embedded systems, manufacturing (process, packaging, yield). 🔹 Freshers’ salaries: ₹6–12 LPA (vs. ₹3–4 LPA in IT). 🔹 Aggressive campus recruitment from tier-2 & tier-3 colleges, not just IITs. 🔹 Internships: ₹40k–50k/month stipends to build hands-on chip design skills. 🔹 Hiring scale: ~12,000 freshers annually (up from 8,000 last year). 🔹 Career growth: Roles extend up to ₹20–120 LPA for architects & leaders. Fuelled by global supply chain shifts, EVs, telecom, defence, and government initiatives (DLI, PLI, ECMS), this hiring surge is reshaping student aspirations, especially in ECE and core engineering branches. With India projected to hit $103B semiconductor market by 2030, this is the right time for students and professionals to align their skills with VLSI, Embedded Systems, AI/ML hardware, and semiconductor manufacturing. The future is semiconductor — and India is powering ahead as a global hub! https://lnkd.in/gKtU5Gn2 #Semiconductor #VLSI #ChipDesign #EmbeddedSystems #Electronics #SoC #SemiconductorIndia #SemiconductorJobs #SemiconductorTalent #HiringTrends #Careers #ECE #Engineering #SemiconductorEcosystem #MakeInIndia #Innovation #ElectronicsManufacturing #FutureOfWork #AI #ML #Hardware #Manufacturing #IndiaSemiconductorMission

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Important topics on SystemVerilog (SV) needed in frontend of VLSI (Basics): [0] Difference b/w Verilog and SystemVerilog. Why SV is chosen for Verfication. [1] Difference between Mailbox and Queue. Is it possible to connect Generator and Driver with a Queue instead of Mailbox. [2] How race condition is avoided in Verilog. And what enhancements are present in SystemVerilog to counter the race condition. [3] Difference between clocking block and modport. Why modport is needed. Difference between clocking and program block. [4] Different event regions of SV. Difference between active and reactive region. What is the use of observed region. [5] Execution flow of assertion in the testbench. Difference between sequence and property. What is the role of semaphore. [6] What is the difference between Static and Dynamic testbench. Give examples. Is it always necessary to build a dynamic testbench. [7] Default input and output Skew. What is the need of using them. What is Synchronous driving. What is Sampling. [8] How error injection is provided in SV. What are callbacks and what are the different methods associated with it. [9] What is Class and an Object. Concept of Inheritance, Encapsulation and Polymorphism. [10] What is the difference b/w Shallow Copy and Deep Copy. Concept of Abstract Class, Concrete Class and Interface Class. [11] Difference between Multiple and Multilevel Inheritance. Difference b/w implement and extend. What is Composition and when it is used. [12] What is Singleton Class and what are the different types of design pattern. What function used as friend function in SV. How garbage collection is taking care in SV. [13] What are virtual function and where it is used. What is Virtual class. What are local and global variables. [14] Operator precedence in SV. Difference b/w Struct and Union. What is a linked list. [15] Write the code for driver with asynchronous reset. [16] Different Array reduction methods. Sorting of arrays. What are Packed structure. [17] What is a Diamond Problem and how to avoid it. Difference between static and dynamic casting. Parameterized classes. [18] How to make hierarchial connection with scoreboard from monitor. How to model a out of order transaction and in order transaction scoreboard. [19] Difference b/w bounded and unbounded mailbox. Can we use queue in generator and driver instead of mailbox. [20] What is Solve x before y constraint and when it is used. How to override a constraint. [21] What are Hard and Soft Constraints. What are weighted distribution constraints. [22] What is Pre randomize and Post randomize. What are the effects of constraint on and off mode. [23] Unique and Priority statement in SV. What are verilog full case and Parallel case and how unique and priority statements are solving the issue. [24] What is the need of interface in SV. Can we use physical interface for dynamic testbench and if so how? [25] Difference between for and foreach loop in SV.

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DDR5 DRAM MODULE TECHNOLOGY DDR5 DRAM technology, the fifth generation of Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory, offers significant performance improvements over DDR4 with higher bandwidth, lower power consumption, and enhanced data integrity, including on-die error correction code (ECC). Key Features and Advantages: 1. Increased Bandwidth: DDR5 delivers up to twice the bandwidth compared to DDR4, enabling faster data transfer rates and improved system performance. 2. Lower Power Consumption: DDR5 operates at a lower voltage (1.1V) and incorporates on-module power management integrated circuits (PMICs) for better energy efficiency. 3. Enhanced Data Integrity: DDR5 features on-die ECC, which detects and corrects errors before they reach the CPU, leading to more robust and reliable memory performance. 4. Dual 32-bit Subchannels: DDR5 utilizes two independent 32-bit subchannels on a single module, allowing for increased data transfer efficiency and improved scaling performance. 5. Increased Banks and Burst Length: DDR5 doubles the number of banks (16 to 32) and the minimum burst length (8 to 16), further enhancing data bus efficiency and reducing the number of reads/writes to access the same cache data line. 6. Scalable Memory: DDR5 is designed to support higher capacities and speeds, making it suitable for demanding applications like gaming, content creation, and data centers. 7. Improved Performance: DDR5 offers a significant performance boost for CPUs and platforms that require more cores and memory bandwidth. 8. On-die ECC: All DDR5 chips have on-die error-correction code, that detects and corrects errors before sending data to the CPU, to improve reliability and allow denser RAM chips which lowers per-chip defect rate. 9. Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMIC): Regulates the power required by the various components of the memory module. 

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EMIR Checks in VLSI : As process nodes scale to 7nm, 5nm, and beyond, power delivery challenges become critical. EMIR (Electro-Migration & IR drop) analysis isn’t just a signoff formality—it’s the difference between reliable silicon and expensive respins. 🔹 IR Drop Static IR drop: Caused by average current → impacts DC voltage levels, reducing noise margin. Dynamic IR drop: Caused by instantaneous switching activity → leads to timing failures & setup/hold violations. 🔹 Electro-Migration (EM) High current density displaces metal atoms. Leads to void formation (open circuits) or hillocks (shorts). Reliability degradation follows Black’s Equation → failure rate ~ J^n * exp(-Ea/kT), where J is current density. 🔹 Why EMIR Checks Matter ✅ Ensure power integrity across standard cells & macros ✅ Capture voltage droop under realistic switching scenarios ✅ Validate reliability margins of interconnects & vias ✅ Provide lifetime projections for SoCs under actual workloads 🔹 Best Practices Use vector-based dynamic analysis for realistic IR stress conditions. Perform early in-design EMIR closure (not just signoff). Apply localized decap insertion & grid reinforcement where droop hotspots appear. Correlate RTL activity → gate-level simulation → signoff IR analysis for accuracy. With billion-transistor SoCs, EMIR is no longer just a backend task—it’s a design co-pilot. #VLSI #SoC #Semiconductors #ChipDesign #Reliability #EMIR

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Part (1 of 3) Tools and ecosystem Helping Electronics Engineers Get Started with VLSI (the Free & Open Way) Over the last few months, I’ve met a lot of young engineers eager to learn VLSI; verification, formal or physical design; but unsure where to start without expensive tools or licenses. The good news? You can go surprisingly far using completely free and open-source tools that are very close to what’s used in the industry. Here’s a simple domain-wise list to get you started, with tools and quick examples to try on your laptop. 1. RTL Design & Simulation Yosys : learn synthesis and netlist generation from Verilog. Example: synthesize a small counter or ALU module and inspect its netlist. Icarus Verilog : lightweight simulator to run RTL and testbenches. Verilator : converts RTL to C++ model for high-speed simulation. GTKWave : simple waveform viewer to see your signal transitions. 2. Design Verification (DV) cocotb : a Py-based testbench framework; you can write your tests in Python instead of SystemVerilog. Example: test a UART or simple FIFO, add checkers and scoreboards. Combine Verilator + cocotb to build a mini verification environment. 3. Formal Verification SymbiYosys (with Yosys) : great way to learn how formal works. Example: prove that an arbiter never gives grants to two masters at the same time. 4. Physical Design (PD) OpenLane / OpenROAD : complete open RTL-to-GDS flow. Perfect to understand place, route, and timing closure. Example: run a small design like a RISC-V core or counter through it. Magic and KLayout : view and analyze layouts, run DRC/LVS, explore geometries. OpenSTA : for basic static timing analysis practice. 5. Open-Source IPs to Learn From Use these to learn integration, RTL debug, and SoC-level bring-up: PicoRV32, Ibex, or VexRiscv for CPU cores. OpenCores for UART, SPI, and bus interfaces. LiteX or MiSoC to practice integrating multiple IPs into a small SoC. 6. Try These 4 Starter Projects Run a blink program on a small RISC-V SoC (PicoRV32). Write a cocotb testbench for an OpenCores UART. Use SymbiYosys to check an arbiter or FSM formally. Run OpenLane on your RTL and generate your own GDS layout. Everything here is free, runs on a normal laptop, and builds real skills that connect theory to practice. If you’re a fresher or mentoring one, do add your findings or additional references to help others. More Open IPs to Explore RocketChip (Berkeley RISC-V core) Ariane / CVA6 (high-performance 64-bit RISC-V core) BOOM (Out-of-order RISC-V core) Wishbone peripherals (from OpenCores library) Ethernet MAC, USB, and DDR controllers (LiteX ecosystem) TinyGPU (open GPU arch for learning compute pipelines) OpenDRAM and OpenRAM (for memory controller and SRAM generation concepts) OpenTitan (security-focused open project) #VLSI #Semiconductors #ChipDesign #OpenSourceEDA #RTLDesign #Verification #FormalVerification #PhysicalDesign #DV #ASIC #RISCVDigital #LearningByDoing #OpenHardware

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SIGN-OFF PROCESS IN VLSI DESIGN 🔹 What is the significance of sign-off in VLSI? 🔹 Explain the different types of sign-off checks (DRC, LVS, STA, IR Drop, EM Analysis). 🔹 How do you handle timing violations during sign-off? 🔹 What tools are commonly used for physical verification and sign-off? 🔹 What is the difference between setup and hold violations? 🔹 What are the common challenges faced during the sign-off stage? ✅ Learn how to confidently tackle such questions ✅ Understand the entire sign-off flow easily ✅ Be industry-ready with practical insights Our Latest Demo session - https://lnkd.in/ghMpbUQX 🌐 Join us and shape your future in VLSI! 👉 👉The Best Training Program for Freshers & Working Professionals Looking to Lead in VLSI! 👉 👉 For more information do contact ProV Logic or Prasanthi Chanda #mentor #guidance #training #workshop #vlsi #internships #design #verification #masters #interview #physicaldesign #vlsidesign #coaching #chip #manufacturing #digital #analog #semiconductor

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🔍 Why Is VLSI Recruitment So Challenging? 🤔 If you've ever tried hiring in the VLSI domain, you know it’s no walk in the park. From sourcing to onboarding, it’s a tough game—and here’s why: 💡 1. Niche Skill Set: VLSI isn't just another tech buzzword—it’s a highly specialized field requiring deep knowledge in areas like digital design, verification, physical design, and semiconductor fundamentals. Not every engineer can make the cut. 📉 2. Limited Talent Pool: The number of engineers trained in VLSI (especially hands-on experience) is much smaller compared to general software roles. Even fewer have experience with industry tools like Synopsys, Cadence, or Mentor. 🏫 3. Gap Between Academia & Industry: Universities often focus on theoretical aspects, while the industry demands practical expertise. This disconnect makes it harder for fresh grads to be job-ready, slowing down the hiring funnel. ⚙️ 4. Long Training Time: Even if you find good candidates, ramping them up takes months. Companies are cautious because hiring the wrong candidate in a chip design role is costly—literally. 📍 5. High Competition: Big players, startups, and fabs alike are all fishing from the same pond. Good candidates are often snapped up before you even get through the interview process. 🎯 What's the way forward? Partner closely with academic institutions for curriculum alignment Offer internships & co-op programs to create a future talent pipeline Invest in upskilling passionate engineers from adjacent domains Streamline and speed up your hiring process Let’s talk about how we can make VLSI hiring more sustainable and scalable. Are you facing the same challenges? Drop your thoughts below! 👇 #VLSI #Semiconductors #HiringChallenges #TalentAcquisition #ChipDesign #EDA #VLSIHiring #Recruitment

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