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What is VHSIC (very high speed integrated circuit)

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— 2 min read

VHSIC, which stands for Very High-Speed Integrated Circuit, wasn't actually a specific type of integrated circuit (IC) itself, but rather a research and development program initiated by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) in the 1980s.

Here's a breakdown of the VHSIC program and its impact:

The Need for Faster ICs:

In the 1980s, the DoD recognized a critical need for faster and more advanced integrated circuits for military applications. Existing IC technology was lagging behind the demands of increasingly complex military systems, hindering performance in areas like radar, communication, and weapon guidance.

Goals of the VHSIC Program:

The VHSIC program aimed to achieve significant advancements in integrated circuit technology through:

  • Reduced Feature Sizes: Shrinking the size of transistors on ICs, allowing for more complex circuits to be packed onto a single chip. This led to advancements in photolithography techniques for etching smaller circuit features.
  • Improved Fabrication Processes: The program focused on developing and refining new fabrication processes to create more reliable and efficient ICs.
  • Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Tools: Investing in and developing robust CAD tools to streamline the design and simulation of complex ICs.
  • Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Exploration: While the program ultimately focused on silicon (CMOS) technology due to its cost-effectiveness, initial exploration into Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) ICs aimed to achieve even higher speeds.

Impact of the VHSIC Program:

The VHSIC program had a profound impact on the development of integrated circuit technology:

  • Advancement in CMOS Technology: The program significantly accelerated progress in CMOS technology, leading to faster, more efficient, and more affordable ICs.
  • Standardization of Design Tools: The development of robust CAD tools within the VHSIC program paved the way for standardized design practices across the IC industry.
  • Birth of VHDL: The program's focus on hardware design led to the creation of VHDL (VHSIC Hardware Description Language), a standardized language for describing the behavior and structure of digital systems, which remains a cornerstone of modern digital design workflows.
  • Commercialization of Technologies: The advancements made within the VHSIC program eventually trickled down to the commercial sector, leading to faster and more powerful electronic devices for consumers.

Legacy of VHSIC:

While the VHSIC program concluded in the 1990s, its legacy lives on in the continuous miniaturization and performance improvements of integrated circuits. The focus on design tools, fabrication processes, and standardized design languages continues to drive the evolution of IC technology.

VHSIC vs. VHS:

It's important to note that VHSIC (Very High-Speed Integrated Circuit) is entirely different from VHS (Video Home System), the popular video cassette format. VHS uses magnetic tape technology for video recording and playback, while VHSIC refers to advancements in electronic chip technology.

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