21st Century Challenges: Integrating Fundamentals Into State-Of-The-Art Technology Curricula Complimented by Hands on Experience in Laboratories

In order to prepare the workforce for VLSI program, theoretical instructions must integrate fundamentals and be complemented with adequate laboratory facilities in order to validate the design from its conception to the finished chip along with its real time testing.This comprises of four distinct and disparate phases namely-Phase 1: Chip design -This basically involves the design of the chip based on specifications provided by the customer, Phase 2: Mask Set -It involves the conversion of design's layout and placement into set of masks e.g.diffusion, contact, and metallization masks etc., Phase 3: Mask Transfer -This involves transferring the mask set onto a wafer substrate such as Si or GaAs etc., Phase 4: Packaged Chip -This incorporates inscribing, dicing, die bonding, wire bonding and encapsulating chip.The author proposed an innovative Education Model at Canadian Conference of Engineering Education held at Helifax (Canada) in 1994.It incorporates (1) Fundamentals, (2) Materials, (3) Devices, (4) Circuits, and (5) Systems, which are of vial importance.The author has been providing such an integral Education since 1984 wherein he has received significant amount of funding over the years from Massachusetts Microelectronics Center, MA/Com., Intel Corporation, Raytheon Company, and Sander's Corporation etc.He is still receiving substantial amount of funding from Skyworks Solutions and Analog Devices since the establishment of Microelectronics center at University of Massachusetts Lowell in 1986, the author being the founding director.For in-depth microelectronics education, State-of-the-Art laboratory facilities are required to complement theoretical instructions in order to validate the modeled microelectronic design from its conception to the finished chip along with its real time testing.The system design in general and VLSI system design in particular needs multi disciplinary skills.These Microelectronics/VLSI models address their problem adequately.In order to become an integral Microelectronics/VLSI designer one needs to inculcate skills in design, simulation, testing, verification and validation.This requires a special commitment of funds, which are beyond budgetary allocations of most of the schools.It is because of this reason forging a partnership between academia and industry is of vital importance.The author is not only successful in forging such a partnership with the industry but has also developed curriculum along state-of-the-art facilities in VLSI design and fabrication.

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