1) SYSTEM-LEVEL CAD

1.1 System Design

• System-level specification, modeling, and simulation
• System design flows and methods
• HW/SW co-design, co-simulation, co-optimization, and co-exploration
• HW/SW platforms for rapid prototyping
• System design case studies and applications
• System-level issues for 3D integration
• Micro-architectural transformation
• Memory architecture and system synthesis
• System communication architecture
• Network-on-chip design methodologies and CAD
• Modeling and simulation of heterogeneous platforms
• High-level synthesis for heterogeneous computing
• Power/performance analysis of heterogeneous and cloud platforms
• Programming environment of heterogeneous computing
• Application driven heterogeneous platforms for big data, machine learning etc.
• Applications and designs for systems based on optical devices

1.2 Embedded Systems and Cyberphysical Systems

• Multi-core/multi-processors systems
• HW/SW co-design for embedded systems
• Static and dynamic reconfigurable architectures
• Memory hierarchies and management
• System-level consideration of custom memory/storage architectures
• Application-specific instruction-set processors (ASIPs)
• CAD for Internet-of-Things (IoT) and sensor networks
• Design issues for Internet-of-Things (IoT) Devices
• Modeling and analysis of CPS
• CAD for automotive systems and power electronics
• Dependable and safe CPS design
• Analysis and optimization of data centers
• CAD for display electronics
• Green computing (smart grid, energy, solar panels, etc.)

1.3 Neural Network and Neuromorphic Computing

• Hardware and devices for neuromorphic and neural network computing
• Design method for learning on a chip
• Systems for neural computing (including deep neural networks)
• Neural network acceleration techniques including GPGPU, FPGA and dedicated
• ASICs
• CAD for bio-inspired and neuromorphic systems

1.4 Embedded Systems Software and Software Security

• Real-time software and operating systems
• Middleware and virtual machines, runtime support and resource management
• Timing analysis and WCET
• Profiling and compilation techniques, domain-specific embedded libraries
• Design exploration, synthesis, validation, verification, and optimization
• Software techniques and programming models for multicores, GPUs, and multithreaded embedded architectures
• System and embedded software security techniques
• Malware and Cloud security
• Security and privacy for the Internet of Things
• Embedded software forensics

1.5 Hardware Security

• Hardware-based security (CAD for PUF’s, RNG, AES etc)
• Detection and prevention of hardware Trojans
• Side-channel attacks, fault attacks and countermeasures
• Split Manufacturing for security
• Design and CAD for security
• Security implications of CAD
• Cyberphysical system security
• Nanoelectronic security
• Supply chain security and anti-counterfeiting

1.6 Low Power and Approximate Computing in System Design

• Power and thermal estimation, analysis, optimization, and management techniques for hardware and software systems
• Energy- and thermal aware application mapping and scheduling
• Energy- and thermal-aware dark silicon system design and optimization
• Energy- and thermal-aware architectures, algorithms and techniques
• Run-time management for the dark silicon
• New hardware techniques for approximate/stochastic computing

2) SYNTHESIS, VERIFICATION, & PHYSICAL DESIGN

2.1 High-Level, Behavioral, and Logic Synthesis and Optimization

• High-level/Behavioral/Logic synthesis
• Technology-independent optimization and technology mapping
• Functional and logic timing ECO
• Resource scheduling, allocation, and synthesis
• Interaction between logic synthesis and physical design

2.2 Testing, Validation, Simulation, and Verification

• High-level/Behavioral/Logic modeling and validation
• High-level/Behavioral/Logic simulation
• Formal, semi-formal, and assertion-based verification
• Equivalence and property checking
• Emulation and hardware simulation/acceleration
• Post-silicon functional validation
• Digital fault modeling and simulation
• Delay, current-based, low-power test
• ATPG, BIST, DFT, and compression
• Memory test and repair
• Core, board, system, and 3D IC test
• Post-silicon validation and debug
• Analog, mixed-signal, and RF test

2.3 Cell-Library Design, Partitioning, Floorplanning, Placement

• Cell-library design and optimization
• Transistor and gate sizing
• High-level physical design and synthesis
• Estimation and hierarchy management
• 2D and 3D partitioning, floorplanning, and placement
• Post-placement optimization
• Buffer insertion and interconnect planning

2.4 Clock Network Synthesis, Routing, and Post-Layout Optimization and Verification

• 2D and 3D clock network synthesis
• 2D and 3D global and detailed routing
• Package-/Board-level routing and chip-package-board co-design
• Post-layout/-silicon optimization
• Layout and routing issues for optical interconnects

3) SOC ANALYSIS, DESIGN, SIMULATION, & TESTING

3.1 Design for Manufacturability and Design for Reliability

• Process technology characterization, extraction, and modeling
• CAD for design/manufacturing interfaces
• CAD for reticle enhancement and lithography-related design
• Variability analysis and statistical design and optimization
• Yield estimation and design for yield
• Physical verification and design rule checking
• DFM for emerging devices (3D, nanophotonics, non-volatile logic/memory, etc.)
• Machine learning for smart manufacturing and process control
• Analysis and optimization for device-level reliability issues (stress, aging effects,
• ESD, etc.)
• Analysis optimization for interconnect reliability issues (electromigration, thermal,
• etc.)
• Reliability issues related to soft errors
• Design for resilience and robustness
• Reliability issues for emerging devices (3D, optical, non-volatile, etc.)

3.2 Timing, Power and Signal Integrity Analysis and Optimization

• Deterministic and statistical static timing analysis and optimization
• Power and leakage analysis and optimization
• Circuit and interconnect-level low power design issues
• Power/ground network analysis and synthesis
• Signal integrity analysis and optimization

3.3 CAD for Analog/Mixed-Signal/RF and Multi-Domain Modeling

• CAD for analog, mixed-signal, RF
• CAD for mixed-domain (semiconductor, nanoelectronic, MEMS, and electrooptical) devices, circuits, and systems
• CAD for nanophotonics and optical devices
• Analog, mixed-signal, and RF noise modeling and simulation
• Device, interconnect and circuit extraction and simulation
• Package modeling and analysis
• EM simulation and optimization
• Behavior modeling of devices and interconnect
• Modeling of complex dynamical systems (molecular dynamics, fluid dynamics, computational finance, etc.)

4) CAD FOR EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, PARADIGMS, & APPLICATIONS

4.1 Biological Systems and Electronics, Brain Inspired Computing, and New Computing Paradigms

• CAD for biological computing systems
• CAD for systems and synthetic biology
• CAD for bio-electronic devices, bio-sensors, MEMS, and systems

4.2 Nanoscale and Post-CMOS Systems

• New device structures and process technologies
• New memory technologies (flash, phase change memory, STT-RAM, memristor, etc.)
• Nanotechnologies, nanowires, nanotubes, graphene, etc.
• Quantum computing
• Optical devices, computing, and communication