We need to make sure we can package the IC after the wafer has been diced into individual dies.

A common way of packaging ICs is to connect them to a leadframe by bonding tiny wires between the leads of the leadframe and the pads on the die.

The big bond pads around the outside of the IC often include ESD protection diodes, Input/Output drivers and so on.

This picture shows raven, an IC from Efabless. You can see around the edge there are the big bond pads and the power and ground lines. This structure is called a padring.

The padring used in the Google shuttle is included in Caravel.

Course feedback

I love the layout of the course, you did a perfect job Matt. Building up the foundation and then getting into the depths of it. Having everything lined up. I love the walkthroughs at the end of each section. I did the work and then I looked back, maybe there's a better way and in your videos you point out some other interesting things as well so that was really helpful. So yes I love the course.

Konrad Wilk (digital course)