P&R Lab

CVSD 2011

Cadence On-Line Document

1 2 Purpose: Use Cadence On-Line Document to look up command/syntax in SoC Encounter. Cadence On-Line Document An on-line searching system which can be used to inquire about LEF/DEF Syntax and command line instructions, etc 2.1 Open the on-line document % /home/raid1_1/linux/cadence/SOC/cur/tools/bin/cdnshelp & 2.2 Look-up LEF/DEF Syntax Products Languages LEF/DEF 5.7 Language Reference LEF Syntax 2.3 Look-up command line instructions Products SoC Encounter Using search can help us to quickly find required commands (search topic, search manual, ). E.g., search addstripe (a command for power planning).

Source: These Labs are in the CIC standard flow (modified by Meng-Kai Hsu, 2011.11).

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CVSD 2011

SOCE Lab (1/2): Circuit Placement & Power Planning

1 2 Purpose: Design import, Floorplan, Powerplan (Power Ring, Power Stripe) Lab materials are available at ~cvsd/CUR/SOCE/SOCE_Lab.tar.gz. Please install MobaXterm for graphical interface before lab (available from internet or ~cvsd/CUR/SOCE/MobaXterm_v2.2.zip). We can first use vi, joe, or cat to see the details of CHIP.v, CHIP.ioc, and CHIP.sdc files in the design_data folder. CHIP.v is the main gate-level design. In additional to the original gate-level netlist after synthesis, a topmost module CHIP is added to include input/output pads and the original netlist (In this lab, a DCT circuit is used); CHIP.ioc is used to plan the physical positions of input/output/power/corner pads; CHIP.sdc is used to define timing constraints for timing-driven placement and routing. 3.1 Core power pad: provide power for the main core 3.2 I/O power pad: provide power for input/output pads 3.3 Corner pad: connect pad and pad power Open SoC Encounter 4.1 % source /usr/cadence/CIC/soc.csh 4.2 % encounter Note: DO NOT add & after the command encounter (background mode). We will use two different interfaces for SoC Encounter, (1) terminal (command line) mode, and (2) graphic user interface (GUI). Design Import 5.1 Design Import Design 5.2 Verilog Netlist Files press the button , and add the design file: design_data/CHIP.v. 5.3 Verilog Netlist Top Cell fill in CHIP 5.4 Timing Libraries Import following libraries as for step 5.2 Max Timing Libraries fill in library/lib/RF2SH64x16_slow_syn.lib library/lib/slow.lib library/lib/tpz013g3wc.lib Min Timing Libraries fill in library/lib/RF2SH64x16_fast@0C_syn.lib library/lib/fast.lib library/lib/tpz013g3lt.lib
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CVSD 2011

Max timing libraries are used to calculate steup time, and min timing libraries is used to calculate hold time. Besides, these libraries can also let SoC Encounter know which are inverters or buffers during timing optimization. 5.5 LEF Files fill in library/lef/tsmc13fsg_8lm_cic.lef library/lef/tpz013g3_8lm_cic.lef library/lef/RF2SH64x16.vclef library/lef/antenna_8.lef Note: Since the file: tsmc13fsg_8lm_cic.lef, includes all the process information, we should put tsmc13fsg_8lm_cic.lef on the first. 5.6 5.7 Timing Constraint File fill in design_data/CHIP.sdc IO Assignment File fill in design_data/CHIP.ioc

5.8 Change to Advanced 5.9 Power 5.9.1 Power Nets fill in VDD; Ground Nets fill in VSS (TSMC process) 5.10 RC Extraction RC Extraction Typical/Best/Worst Capacitance Table File fill in library/tsmc013.capTbl 5.10.2 QX Tech File fill in library/tsmc13_8lm.cl/icecaps_8lm.tch 5.10.3 QX Library Directory fill in library/tsmc13_8lm.cl 5.11 SI Analysis CeltIC Libraries 5.11.1 Max cdB File fill in library/celtic/slow.cdB 5.11.2 Min cdB File fill in library/celtic/fast.cdB 5.11.3 Common cdB File fill in library/celtic/typical.cdB 5.10.1
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CVSD 2011

5.12 Since we need to enter a lot of settings to import designs, we can save settings after fill out the configuration by using the Save button such that we can quickly restore the settings in the future (Load). 5.13 We have kept a pre-saved profile, CHIP.conf, which can be directly loaded. 5.14 OK Global Net Connect In this step, we would like to connect the power/ground pins of all standard cells to VDD/VSS. 6.1 Floorplan Connect Global Nets 6.1.1 Pin Name(s) fill in VDD To Global Net fill in VDD Add to List 6.1.2 Pin Name(s) fill in VSS To Global Net fill in VSS Add to List 6.1.3 Connect 1b1/1b0 to VDD/VSS. 6.1.3.1 Select Tie High To Global Net fill in VDD Add to List 6.1.3.2 Select Tie Low To Global Net fill in VSS Add to List 6.1.4 Apply Check Close Note: In addition to connect 1b1/1b0 to VDD/VSS, we can also insert Tie high/Tie low cells (skip step 5.1.3); however, chip utilization might increase. Besides, if 1b1/1b0 do not connect to VDD/VSS, there will be some warnings after Check. In this moment, these warning can be 7 ignored. (How to insert Tie high/Tie low cells will be explained later.) Specify Scan Chain Since we have inserted scan chain in the design, we need to specify where the scan chain is (scan in, scan out). We specify the scan chain by the command line mode: 7.1 encounter> specifyScanChain scan1 start ipad_SCAN_IN/C stop opad_SCAN_OUT/I 7.2 encounter> scantrace Note: In this example, the scan out is one of the primary outputs. In general, we need to specify ALL scan chains. Q1: How many bits are there in the scan train (see the scan trace summary)? ________ Floorplan 8.1 Floorplan Specify Floorplan (We should use appropriate settings for different designs.)

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CVSD 2011

8.2 As we can see, the pink rectangle is the main design (DCT), and the green rectangle is the memory block (SRAM_i0). 8.3 We then roughly place the circuit into the core region by floorplanning. Place Standard Cells 8.3.1 Select Run Placement In Floorplan Mode (deselect Include Pre-Place Optimization and Include In-Place Optimization in Optimization Options) OK 8.4 After floorplanning, we can use different design views (Amoeba view, ) to see the results. In fact, we can arbitrarily change the orientation/position of the memory block. For example: 8.4.1 Select the memory block Floorplan Edit Floorplan Flip/Rotate Instances select R90 OK We can find that the memory will be rotated by 90 degrees. 8.4.2 Change to the floorplan view Select move the memory to upper right corner) Move the memory (E.g.,

8.5 Add halos for hard blocks In this step, we would like to add halos around hard blocks to avoid standard cells being placed near these hard blocks such that we can reserve more spaces for routing around these hard blocks. 8.5.1 Memory Floorplan Edit Floorplan Edit Halo 8.5.2 In the edit halo form, select Selected Blocks/Pads (make sure that the memory is selected) Placement Halo Top/Bottom/Left/Right fill in 30um OK (There will be a red region around the memory.)
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8.6 Timing analysis

CVSD 2011

8.6.1 Timing Analysis Timing 8.6.2 Select Pre-CTS in Design Stage OK The tool will start to do trial route and RC extraction, calculate circuit delay, and then use STA (Static timing analysis) for data paths. 8.6.3 We can see the analyzed result in the terminal. We should note that negative WNS (Worst Negative Slack) means the current placement result cannot satisfied the timing constraints in CHIP.sdc. Q2: WNS is?_________; TNS is?_________. 8.6.4 In the WNS is negative, we can use timing optimization to improve the WNS. (Timing optimization will be explained later.) 8.7 After running placement in floorplan mode, we then run full placement. 8.7.1 Place Standard Cells And Blocks 8.7.2 Select Run Full Placement, deselect Include Pre-Place Optimization and select Include In-Place Optimization 8.7.3 Mode Select Enable Clock Gating Cell Awareness OK 8.7.4 OK 8.8 Place Refine Placement to refine the cell orientations 8.9 Run timing analysis (step 8.6). 8.10 If the WNS is negative, we need to run timing optimization. 8.10.1 Timing Optimize 8.10.2 Use the default values and then press OK. 9 Save current files 9.1 Design Save Design as SoCE 9.2 Use placed.enc for file name Save 10 Create Power-ring Power-rings are added around the core to avoid IR drop in the design. 10.1 Place Refine Placement OK This step is use to remove the trial route result after timing analysis. 10.2 Power Power Planning Add Rings 10.2.1 Net(s) fill in VDD VSS 10.2.2 Ring Configuration 10.2.2.1 Top/Bottom Layer chose METAL7 H 10.2.2.2 Left/Right Layer chose METAL6 V 10.2.2.3 Width fill in 2 10.2.2.4 Update 10.2.3 Change to Advanced 10.2.3.1 Select Use wire group Interleaving
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10.2.3.2 Number of bits fill in 15

CVSD 2011

10.2.3.3 OK 11 Connect power pads 11.1 Route Special Route 11.1.1 Net(s) fill in VDD VSS 11.1.2 Select Pad pins in Route, and deselect others 12 Create Power-stripe Power-stripes are added in the core to avoid IR drop in the design. 12.1 Power Power Planning Add Stripes 12.1.1 Net(s) fill in VDD VSS 12.1.2 Layer select METAL6 Since we would like to create vertical stripe, METAL6 is used. If we want to create horizontal stripe, METAL7 might be used. Width fill in 1 Update

12.1.3

12.1.4 Set Set-to-set distance to 100 12.1.5 Set X from left to 150 and X from right to 100 12.1.6 Change to Advanced 12.1.7 Select Use wire group and Interleaving, set Number of bits to 5 12.1.8 Select 12.1.8.1 Omit stripes inside block rings 12.1.8.2 Switch layer over obstructions 12.1.8.3 Pad/Core ring connection Allow jogging 12.1.8.4 Block ring connection Allow jogging 12.1.9 Change to Via Generation, and select 12.1.9.1 Use exact overlap area on partially intersection wires 12.1.9.2 Spilt vias while encountering Obs and different net Wires/Pins 12.1.9.3 Generate same-sized stack vias while encountering macro Pins/Obs 12.1.10 OK Q3: How many groups of (group) power stripes are inserted? ________ 13 DRC Check 13.1 Verify Verify Geometry 13.2 Check if there is any DRC error (X on the layout). We should clear violations as early as possible. 14 Save the files 14.1 Design Save Design as SoCE 14.2 File name: powerplan.enc Save
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