Ask HN: Where do I get started on ASICs, FPGA, RTL, Verilog et. al?
I wouldn't get too hung up on the phrase 'IP core', it's basically the equivalent of a software library. A reusable chunk of silicon or verilog.If you want to know about how chips are made then I'd highly recommend the book "CMOS Circuit Design and Simulation" by Baker. It's starts off telling you how silicon is etched to make chips, then goes through how MOSFETs work and how to simulate them using SPICE. By the time you're half way through the book you'll know how a static CMOS logic gate works (down to the electrons).If you'd rather learn something that you'll be able to apply yourself (without building a chip fab) then the place to start is Verilog (or VHDL). asic-world.com has some good tutorials. You can simulate what you've written using Icarus verilog and look at the results using GTKwave. If it works in simulation and you want to put it onto a real FPGA it's then just a matter of fighting the Xilinx/Altera/Lattice tools until then give you a bitstream. If you have enough money (a lot) you could even get a physical ASIC manufactured.