Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) is the process of creating integrated circuits by combining thousands of transistor-based circuits into a single chip. VLSI began in the 1970s when complex semiconductor and communication technologies were being developed. The microprocessor is a VLSI device. The term is no longer as common as it once was, as chips have increased in complexity into the hundreds of millions of transistors.

Design Architect-IC is a powerful tool for schematic capture, netlisting, simulation setup and results viewing, all integrated within the Mentor Graphics analog/mixed-signal SoC design flow. Design Architect-IC integrates seamlessly with the Mentor Graphics IC Station SDL application to conceptualize, develop, simulate and verify the most challenging designs quickly and accurately--the first time.