Cpu Design Engineer Interview Questions

222 cpu design engineer interview questions shared by candidates

1. C code- swap by reference 2. Perl basics 3. cache coherency, cache mapping, memory repair, power domain crossing - use of isolation cells. 4. Memory organization 5. Pipeline hazards -> WAW, RAW etc.. register renaming, pipeline forwarding etc 6. Clock domain crossing - how do you handle it? which clk to be fed to synchronizer, lock up latch etc 7. MBIST verification - The interviewer was mad, he kept on asking questions on mbist despite me telling I have not worked on MBIST. I gave up and blabbered something. He kept on asking pin-pointed questions for NCG hire, who usually knows bigger picture of MBIST. He asked how many cycles to verify 8 bit pattern, is it verified at speed? I did not know that 8. JTAG 1500 - I have never worked on 1500, he asked for pins I told WSI, WSO etc.. He asked for JTAG ports instead of signals!! I got confused and blabbed something instead of telling I dont know (my bad!). He actually meant JTAG signals like update, capture, shift!! 9. CLK domain crossing : He asked about synchronizer cells and how they prevent metastability, I gave generic answer, he wanted textbook answer. Why sync cells are used instead of two f/f's connected together! I dont know man, I did not work on it!
avatar

CPU DV

Interviewed at Apple

4.1
Jul 21, 2020

1. C code- swap by reference 2. Perl basics 3. cache coherency, cache mapping, memory repair, power domain crossing - use of isolation cells. 4. Memory organization 5. Pipeline hazards -> WAW, RAW etc.. register renaming, pipeline forwarding etc 6. Clock domain crossing - how do you handle it? which clk to be fed to synchronizer, lock up latch etc 7. MBIST verification - The interviewer was mad, he kept on asking questions on mbist despite me telling I have not worked on MBIST. I gave up and blabbered something. He kept on asking pin-pointed questions for NCG hire, who usually knows bigger picture of MBIST. He asked how many cycles to verify 8 bit pattern, is it verified at speed? I did not know that 8. JTAG 1500 - I have never worked on 1500, he asked for pins I told WSI, WSO etc.. He asked for JTAG ports instead of signals!! I got confused and blabbed something instead of telling I dont know (my bad!). He actually meant JTAG signals like update, capture, shift!! 9. CLK domain crossing : He asked about synchronizer cells and how they prevent metastability, I gave generic answer, he wanted textbook answer. Why sync cells are used instead of two f/f's connected together! I dont know man, I did not work on it!

Viewing 21 - 30 interview questions

Glassdoor has 222 interview questions and reports from Cpu design engineer interviews. Prepare for your interview. Get hired. Love your job.