Chips, the core components powering modern electronics, begin their journey with intricate design processes that blend hardware architecture and software optimization. The design phase typically starts with defining functional requirements, where engineers outline the chip’s intended applications—whether for smartphones, data centers, or automotive systems. This is followed by microarchitecture design, which involves structuring the chip’s internal components, such as arithmetic logic units (ALUs), control units, and memory hierarchies, to balance performance, power consumption, and area (PPA).

Advanced design tools, such as electronic design automation (EDA) software, play a pivotal role in translating architectural blueprints into physical layouts. EDA tools enable engineers to simulate chip behavior, detect design flaws, and optimize circuit paths before fabrication. For example, logic synthesis converts high-level hardware description language (HDL) code (e.g., Verilog or VHDL) into gate-level netlists, while place-and-route tools arrange transistors and interconnects on the silicon wafer to minimize signal delay and power leakage.