If you are one of those Engineers who are obsessed with miniaturization, then VLSI is the field for you. VLSI stands for Very Large Scale Integration. The field developed into an area of academic study and practice during the early 70’s when semiconductors and communication technologies were being developed. It principally involves the development of integrated circuits by combining thousands of transistor-based circuits into a single chip.

It was fundamentally the progress made in VLSI that contributed to paradigm innovations in the field of Electronics.  VLSI  enabled the integration of technologies and the application of integrated circuits in high performance computing, telecommunications and consumer electronics. The intelligence of most applications was derived from the computational power of VLSI. One of the most powerful creations of VLSI has been, undoubtedly, the Microprocessor.

The Microprocessor, also known as the computer chip, manufactured by companies like Intel, is increasingly attaining new heights of sophistication. The Intel Core 2 Duo processor, launched recently, is one of the high-end chips that make our computing experience faster than ever. The Core 2 Duo promises to substantially boost performance while reducing power consumption. It
contains two processing cores on a single chip and is the successor to the Intel Core Duo that was launched in early 2006.

The Core 2 Duo also manages to attain new heights in VLSI design. In its almost minute frame, it contains 291 million transistors packed into an area smaller than a fingernail. The processor was built with Intel’s 65-nanometer manufacturing technology. Similarly, Texas Instruments, has conducted pioneering work in the field of semiconductors and computing. The sophistication of its chips for cellular handsets has set new benchmarks in cellular technology.

Careers

A career in VLSI can be very exciting because this is probably where all the action is. The pioneers of next generation technology, acronymed as 3G, {third generation} acquire their foundation in VLSI. Engineers trained in VLSI are making technology more dynamic and ubiquitous. Training in VLSI enables an Engineer to specialize in consumer electronics, microelectronics, electronic components, computer hardware, radar, medical equipment, telecommunications, automation and control systems. One can find employment opportunities in companies like Intel, IBM Microelectronics, Philips VLSI, Texas Instruments, Motorola and Tata Elxsi.

Salaries VLSI Careers

A recent survey conducted by IEEE yielded the following median salaries as a function of degree for engineers working in their primary area of technical competence. For a young Engineer starting out, a career in VLSI can be very productive in terms of emoluments. A PhD in Electronics with VLSI as the core can fetch a salary of about $85,000 – $115,000 per year.
Similarly, an Engineer with a Masters are paid approx. $65,000 – $95,000 per year. An Engineer who completes a BS degree in the US, are paid approx. $45,000 – $65,000 per year.