Welcome to SoC at UBC!

System-on-a-chip (SoC) is a major revolution taking place in the design of integrated circuits due to the unprecedented levels of integration possible. As a result, new methodologies and tools are demanded to address design, verification and test problems presented by SoC’s in this rapidly evolving area. Our research addresses high-speed design using a “System-on-a-chip with Intellectual Property” (SoC/IP) methodology.

The key concept in SoC/IP design is that a chip can be constructed rapidly using third-party and internal IP, where IP refers to a pre-designed behavioral or physical descriptions of a standard component. According to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, “Innovation in the techniques used in circuit and system design will be essential to maintain the historical trends in performance improvement.” Because of the strategic importance of SoC/IP design in the years ahead, our goal is to train the next generation of chip designers in SoC design from systems to silicon. The research program is focused on mixed-signal SoC design, verification and test.

The SoC program at UBC involves a number of faculty members in ECE and CS, and partnerships with Canadian Microelectronic Corporation (CMC), PMC-Sierra and other companies involved in SoC design.