smr1152/Announcement

			MICROPROCESSOR LABORATORY
		SIXTH COURSE ON BASIC VLSI DESIGN TECHNIQUES
			8 November - 3 December 1999

			Miramare - Trieste, Italy


	The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics  (The
Abdus Salam ICTP) will organize the Microprocessor Laboratory Sixth Course
on Basic VLSI  (V_ery L_arge S_cale I_ntegration) Design Techniques, to be
held here from 8 November to 3 December 1999.   The Course will be directed
by Prof. Alberto A. Colavita.  Dr. Andres Cicuttin will act as Head of
laboratory exercises.

I. 	PURPOSE, NATURE AND PROGRAMME

	The Course is intended as a training activity to introduce
scientists and engineers to the latest VLSI design techniques.  The Course
contains a ground-up introduction to top-down digital design procedures
using VHDL, a hardware design description language.  The course includes
hands-on laboratory work to which 60-75 % of the time is allocated.  The
laboratory uses public domain software for the exercises.

	As a complement the course also introduces scientists to FPGA and
analogue design using Spice.  Also it includes design for testability and a
broad view of the available silicon technologies.

	A basic knowledge of digital electronics is required.


	The programme will consist of:

	Theory:						Laboratory:

	- Introduction to LINUX			- 70 hours of VLSI Design
	- VLSI Design using Alliance		   using Alliance

	- CMOS technology			- Exercises and Projects
	- Design for testability
	- Introduction to Analogue IC Design
	- Designing with FPGAs.


II.	PARTICIPATION

	  Scientists and students from all countries that are members of
the UN, UNESCO or IAEA can attend the Course.  The main purpose of the
Centre is to help research workers from developing countries through a
programme of training activities within a framework of international
cooperation.  However, students and post-doctoral scientists from developed
countries are also welcome to attend.  As the Course will be conducted in
English, participants should have an adequate working knowledge of that
language.


	As a rule, travel and subsistence expenses of the participants
should be borne by their home institutions.  However, some funds are
available for a limited number of scientists from developing countries who
will be selected by the organizers.  As scarcity of funds allows travel to
be granted only in few exceptional cases, every effort should be made by
candidates to secure support for their fares (or at least half-fare) from
their home country.


	For technical reasons, the total attendance will be strictly
limited to 60 participants.  All participants are required to attend for
the entire duration of the Course.

	The closing date for requesting participation is ALREADY OVER.