Cadence Design Systems Interview Questions, Process, and Tips

I am a passionate and experienced design engineer with a strong background in mechanical engineering.

• Graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from XYZ University

• Worked for 5 years at ABC Company designing innovative products

• Proficient in CAD software such as SolidWorks and AutoCAD

• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to bring projects to completion

Matching is the process of comparing two or more items to determine if they are the same or similar.

• Matching involves comparing characteristics or features of items to find similarities or differences.

• Types of matching include pattern matching, string matching, and image matching.

• Matching is used in various fields such as computer science, psychology, and genetics.

• Example: Matching fingerprints to identify a suspect in...read more

To determine the metal width for routing, calculate the resistance and use it to find the required width.

• Calculate resistance using R = ρ * (L/A), where ρ is the resistivity of the metal, L is the distance between blocks, and A is the cross-sectional area of the metal.

• Use Ohm's Law (V = I * R) to find the voltage drop across the metal.

• Finally, use the voltage drop and current to determine the required metal width.

Block functionality of previous project involved data processing and storage. Layout started with floorplanning and power grid design.

• Implemented data processing block using Verilog HDL

• Designed storage block using flip-flops and registers

• Started layout with floorplanning to allocate space for different blocks

• Designed power grid to ensure proper distribution of power to all blocks

• Performed physical design tasks such as ...read more

Em&IR stands for Emissions and Immunity in the context of design engineering. Resolving these issues involves identifying sources of electromagnetic interference and implementing mitigation techniques.

• Em&IR refers to the study of electromagnetic emissions from electronic devices and their susceptibility to external interference.

• Common sources of electromagnetic interference include power supplies, motors, and wireless ...read more

Command to find lines with 'ERROR' in log file and copy to new file

• Use grep command to search for 'ERROR' in log file: grep 'ERROR' logfile.txt

• Use redirection to copy the output to a new file: grep 'ERROR' logfile.txt > newfile.txt

Latchup is a condition in integrated circuits where parasitic thyristors are inadvertently triggered, causing a high current flow.

• Latchup can be resolved by adding guard rings around sensitive components to prevent parasitic thyristors from triggering.

• Using layout techniques such as spacing sensitive components further apart can also help prevent latchup.

• Properly designing the power distribution network and ensuring pr

Antenna effect is the phenomenon where the gate of a transistor behaves like an antenna, causing unwanted signal interference.

• Antenna effect occurs in integrated circuits due to the gate acting as an antenna and picking up external signals.

• It can lead to performance degradation and reliability issues in the circuit.

• To resolve antenna effect, techniques like adding shielding layers, changing layout design, and using gua...read more

Higher metal jumps are preferred over lower metal jumps for resolving antenna issues due to better signal propagation and reduced interference.

• Higher metal jumps provide better signal propagation and reduced interference compared to lower metal jumps.

• Higher metal jumps help in achieving better antenna performance and coverage.

• Lower metal jumps may result in signal degradation and increased interference.

• Higher metal jum...read more

WPE stands for Water Pressure Equalization. It is a system used to maintain equal pressure in a water distribution network.

• WPE helps prevent water hammer, which can damage pipes and fittings.

• It ensures consistent water pressure throughout the network, even when demand fluctuates.

• Regular maintenance of valves, pumps, and pressure regulators is essential to ensure the WPE system functions properly.

Yes, I am comfortable with the job location.

• I have researched the area and feel it is a good fit for me.

• I have visited the location and liked what I saw.

• I am willing to relocate if necessary for this opportunity.

A FIFO checker is a verification component used to monitor and validate the behavior of a First-In-First-Out buffer in a design.

• Implement a monitor that tracks the input and output operations of the FIFO buffer

• Check that the data is read out in the same order it was written in

• Verify that the FIFO buffer does not overflow or underflow

• Use assertions to flag any violations of FIFO behavior

• Example: Monitor the write and re...read more

Capacitors in series add reciprocally, in parallel add directly. Voltage in series is the sum, in parallel is the same.

• Capacitors in series: 1/Ctotal = 1/C1 + 1/C2

• Capacitors in parallel: Ctotal = C1 + C2

• Voltage in series: Vtotal = V1 + V2

• Voltage in parallel: Vtotal = V1 = V2

The output of the circuitry needs to be analyzed for functionality and accuracy.

• Examine the input and output signals to ensure they are within expected ranges

• Check for any noise or interference in the output

• Verify that the circuit is functioning as designed based on the specifications

• Look for any potential issues or errors in the output

The output waveforms can be drawn based on the input signal and circuit configuration.

• Understand the input signal characteristics (frequency, amplitude, etc.)

• Analyze the circuit components and their effects on the signal

• Draw the output waveform based on the input and circuit analysis

To add two linked lists, iterate through both lists simultaneously and add corresponding nodes, considering carry from previous addition.

• Create a dummy node to hold the result.

• Initialize current node to dummy node.

• Iterate through both lists, adding values and carry from previous addition.

• Move to next nodes in both lists.

• Handle cases where one list is longer than the other.

• Handle final carry if present.

Use Dijkstra's algorithm to find the shortest path in a graph

• Implement Dijkstra's algorithm to find the shortest path between two nodes in a graph

• Maintain a priority queue to keep track of the shortest distance to each node

• Update the shortest distance to each node as you traverse the graph

• Track the path by storing the previous node for each node visited

Check if a binary tree is a Binary Search Tree (BST)

• Perform an in-order traversal of the tree and check if the resulting array is sorted

• Keep track of the previous node value during traversal to compare with the current node value

• Ensure that each node's value is greater than the previous node's value in the in-order traversal

Check if a substring in an array of strings is a palindrome or not.

• Iterate through each string in the array

• For each string, check if any of its substrings are palindromes

• Return true if a palindrome substring is found, false otherwise