Laker User Guide and

Tutorial
Laker Custom IC Design Solutions

Synopsys, Inc.

Printing
Printed on September 11, 2014.

Version
This manual supports the LakerTM Custom Layout Automation System 2014.06 and higher
versions. You should use the documentation from the version of the installed software you
are currently using.

Copyright and Proprietary Information Notice

Copyright (c) 2014 Synopsys, Inc. All rights reserved. This software and documentation
contain confidential and proprietary information that is the property of Synopsys, Inc. The
software and documentation are furnished under a license agreement and may be used or
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Destination Control Statement

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NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Certain software components distributed with Laker are licensed under the GNU General
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www.synopsys.com

Contents
About This Book

Overview .............................................................................................................................1
Audience..............................................................................................................................1
Book Organization ..............................................................................................................1
Conventions Used in This Book..........................................................................................2
Related Publications............................................................................................................3

Introduction

Overview .............................................................................................................................5
Technology Overview .........................................................................................................6
Interoperability...............................................................................................................6
Product Overview................................................................................................................7
Core Features .................................................................................................................7
Rule-driven Layout ..................................................................................................7
Built-in Routers ........................................................................................................7
User-Defined Device (UDD) ...................................................................................8
Advanced Features.........................................................................................................8
Schematic-driven Layout .........................................................................................8
Stick Diagram Compiler...........................................................................................8
Matching Device Creator .........................................................................................9
Design Hierarchy Manipulation for Layout Optimization.......................................9
Hierarchical Net Tracer............................................................................................9

User Interface

11

Overview ...........................................................................................................................11
Common User Interface Features......................................................................................12
Window Banner ...........................................................................................................12
Main Window Banner ............................................................................................12
Layout Window Banner .........................................................................................12
Schematic Window Banner....................................................................................13
Pull-down Menus.........................................................................................................14
Mnemonic Keys...........................................................................................................14
Bind Keys ....................................................................................................................14
Esc Key........................................................................................................................14
On-line Help ................................................................................................................14

Laker User Guide and Tutorial i

Toolbar Icons ...............................................................................................................15

Mouse Operations ........................................................................................................15
Mouse Operations for Selection.............................................................................15
Mouse Operations for Creation ..............................................................................15
Mouse Operations for Editing ................................................................................16
Mouse Operations for Zooming and Panning ........................................................16
Mouse Operations in the Layout Table Pane .........................................................16
Right-click Command Menus......................................................................................16
Main Window User Interface............................................................................................18
Toolbar Icon.................................................................................................................18
Message Pane...............................................................................................................18
Design Window User Interface .........................................................................................20
Toolbar Icons ...............................................................................................................20
Layout Window Pane...................................................................................................22
Design Hierarchy Browser Pane..................................................................................22
Schematic Window Pane .............................................................................................22
Content Window Pane .................................................................................................22
Layer Table Pane .........................................................................................................22
Scroll Bar................................................................................................................25
Resize Controller....................................................................................................25
Purpose Name ........................................................................................................25
Set Layer Selectable/Unselectable .........................................................................26
Set Layer Visible/Invisible.....................................................................................26
Set All Layers Visible ............................................................................................26
Set All Layers Selectable .......................................................................................26
Change Layer Order ...............................................................................................26
Set Layer Color/Pattern Attributes.........................................................................27
Layer Dynamic Selection Field..............................................................................27
Status Bar.....................................................................................................................29
Tcl Command Line Area........................................................................................30
Message Line Area.................................................................................................30
Active Layer Selection Field..................................................................................30
Status for Rule-driven Editing Mode .....................................................................32
Status for Snap Modes............................................................................................39
Selection Schemes.............................................................................................................41
Pre-Selection................................................................................................................41
Single Selection ...........................................................................................................41
Area Selection..............................................................................................................42
Cycle Selection ............................................................................................................42
Multiple Selection........................................................................................................43
Decrease Selection.......................................................................................................43
Used with the Edit Commands ....................................................................................43
ii Laker User Guide and Tutorial

Quick Start

45

Overview ...........................................................................................................................45
Lesson 1: Import GDSII Stream Design ...........................................................................46
Lesson 2: Import LEF Design ...........................................................................................48
Before You Start ..........................................................................................................48
Prepare Information File for LEF/DEF..................................................................48
Import LEF File into Laker..........................................................................................49
Lesson 3: Import DEF Design...........................................................................................51
Lesson 4: Open the Design................................................................................................53
Open a Stream Design .................................................................................................53
Open DEF Design........................................................................................................56
Lesson 5: Understand the Design......................................................................................59
Highlight Net ...............................................................................................................59
Hierarchical Net Tracer ...............................................................................................61

UDD Tutorial

63

Before You Start................................................................................................................63

Create a New UDD in the Main Window....................................................................63
Open the UDD in the Design Window ........................................................................63
Creating a User-defined Device ........................................................................................64
Importing UDD Layout ...............................................................................................64
Creating Shapes and Evaluating Constraints ...............................................................65
Correcting the UDD.....................................................................................................70
Saving the UDD...........................................................................................................73
Summary......................................................................................................................73

Spare Cell Management

75

Overview ...........................................................................................................................75
How to Use It ....................................................................................................................75

Novas nECO Integration

79

Overview ...........................................................................................................................79
Drag-and-Drop Operation .................................................................................................80

Appendix A: CDL Syntax

85

Overview ...........................................................................................................................85
Commands.........................................................................................................................85
.END ............................................................................................................................85
.ENDS ..........................................................................................................................86

Laker User Guide and Tutorial iii

.GLOBAL ....................................................................................................................86
.INCLUDE...................................................................................................................86
.MODEL ......................................................................................................................87
.OPTIONS....................................................................................................................87
.PARAM ......................................................................................................................88
.SUBCKT.....................................................................................................................88
*.FLAT ........................................................................................................................89
*.PININFO...................................................................................................................89
*.REVERSE.................................................................................................................90
Circuit Elements................................................................................................................91
MOSFET......................................................................................................................91
BJT...............................................................................................................................92
Resistor ........................................................................................................................92
Capacitor......................................................................................................................93
Inductor........................................................................................................................94
Diode............................................................................................................................94
Subcircuit Call .............................................................................................................95
M Factor Expansion ...............................................................................................95
Subckt Expansion by Parameter Value ..................................................................96
Others ................................................................................................................................97
Built-In Functions ........................................................................................................97
Scale Factor..................................................................................................................98
Comment......................................................................................................................98

Appendix B: LEF Syntax

101

Overview .........................................................................................................................101
Supported LEF Syntax ....................................................................................................101

Appendix C: DEF Syntax

105

Overview .........................................................................................................................105
Supported DEF Syntax....................................................................................................105

Index

iv Laker User Guide and Tutorial

109

About This Book: Overview

About This Book

Overview
This book is designed to allow you to quickly become proficient in the LakerTM Custom
Layout Automation System, the most intelligent full custom layout design system.
The book should be read from beginning to end. Sections you are already familiar with can
be skipped.

Audience
The audience for this book includes physical layout engineers who require faster and more
efficient automated layout design tools.
This document assumes that you have a basic knowledge of the platform on which your
version of the Laker layout system runs: Unix or Linux.

Book Organization
This Laker User Guide and Tutorial is organized as follows:

About This Book, provides an introduction to this book and explains how to use it.
Introduction, provides an introduction to the LakerTM Custom Layout Automation
System.
User Interface, describes the graphical user interface (GUI), common features,
selection schemes, and primary windows.
Quick Start, provides more practice and helps you to skillfully exploit the advanced
functionalities of the Laker layout system.
UDD Tutorial, provides more practices on user-defined devices (UDDs).
Index, is a detailed index to this book.

Laker User Guide and Tutorial 1

About This Book: Conventions Used in This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

The following conventions are commonly used in this book:

Italics font is used for emphases, book titles, section names, design names, file paths,
and file names within paragraphs.
Bold font emphasizes text and highlighted titles, menu items, function keys, and
button names.
Blue text outlines the text area for active hypertext links; it helps you jump to the
reference topic.
Courier type is used for program listings, Tcl commands, and arguments. It is also
used for test messages that appear on the screen.
NOTE describes important information, warnings, or unique commands.
Left-click or Click means click the left mouse button on the indicated item.
Middle-click means click the middle mouse button on the indicated item.
Right-click means click the right mouse button on the indicated item.
Double-click means click twice consecutively with the left mouse button.
Shift-left-click means press and hold the Shift key then click the left mouse button on
the indicated item.
Shift-right-click means press and hold the Shift key then click the right mouse button
on the indicated item.
Drag-left means press and hold the left mouse button, then move the cursor to the
destination and release the button.
Drag-right means press and hold the right mouse button, then move the cursor to the
destination and release the button.
Drag and drop means press and hold the middle mouse button on the indicated item
then move and drop the item to the other window.

Functions of Common Buttons

This section describes the most common buttons that appear in GUI forms.

The OK button confirms the settings in the form and closes the form.
The Apply button applies any changes but does not close the form.
The Cancel button discards the settings in the form and closes the form.
The Close button closes the form without applying any changes.
The Hide button temporarily hides the form during operation. It can be brought back
again by pressing F3.

2 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

About This Book: Related Publications

Related Publications

Laker Command Reference Manual - gives detailed information on the Laker

command sets, with a reference of available bind keys, toolbar icons, and links to Tcl
commands.
Laker Tcl Reference Manual - explains the use of Tcl commands for primary windows
and introduces the enhanced Tcl commands to access the GUI and database.
Laker Automated Test Chip Development Platform Users Manual - gives detailed
information on the Laker Automated Test Chip Development (TCD) Platform
command sets, with the reference of available bind keys, toolbar icons and links to Tcl
commands.
Laker Automated Test Chip Development Platform Tcl Reference Manual - gives
detailed information on the Laker Automated Test Chip Development (TCD) Platform
Tcl commands.
Laker Quick Reference Guide - gives a brief summary of the different windows and
related mouse commands and bind keys.
Installation Guide - gives detailed information on installing the LakerTM Custom IC
Design products.
Release Notes - For current information about the latest software version, see the
Release Notes shipped with the product.

Laker User Guide and Tutorial 3

About This Book: Related Publications

4 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

Introduction
Overview
The LakerTM Custom Layout Automation System offers powerful solutions for analog,
mixed-signal, memory, and custom digital IC design that address key pain points in the
layout process. The Laker layout system provides an intuitive methodology and simplifies
the layout process by automating many tedious and error-prone layout tasks.
When the Laker layout system is deployed in a design flow, less effort is required to obtain
optimal, high-quality, high-density layout of advanced chip designs. Superior layout results
are achieved by:

Speeding up the project and optimizing the layout at the same time;
Efficiently interacting with the netlist, schematic and layout data in a single working
environment;
Cutting overall DRC/LVS run times by creating layout that is DRC-correct the first
time; and
Reducing or eliminating PCell scripting with unique device generation technologies.
The Laker layout system with its controllable automation technologies simplifies the
layout process and reduces physical verification efforts by offering rule-driven and
schematic-driven capabilities and an open architecture that seamlessly integrates best-inclass third-party tools.

Laker User Guide and Tutorial 5

Technology Overview
At the core of the Laker layout systems controllable automation is Synopsys patented
Magic Cell (MCellTM) parameterized device generation technology and a built-in design
rule check (DRC) engine that drives the systems rule-driven layout capabilities. MCells
enable a highly automated schematic-driven layout (SDL) flow that includes the usercontrollable device planning, wiring and manipulation capabilities of the Stick Diagram
Compiler.

MCells include transistors, resistors, capacitors, contacts/vias and guard rings.

MCells enable the rapid generation of optimized layout structures for complex
devices, such as multiple-gate transistors, guard-rings, contact arrays, inter-digitized
resistors and capacitors.
MCells are technology-independent and require no user scripting.

Interoperability
The Laker Custom Layout System provides unparalleled interoperability and an open
environment that employs best-in-class design tool flows that include, physical
verification, extraction and much more. This open system provides:

Seamless integration with CalibreR and HerculesTM physical verification tools that
executes DRC and LVS from the Laker window and supports easy browsing and
debugging of the results; and
Complete Tcl support including language syntax and selected extensions to provide
maximum flexibility in tool customization, database query, and layout creation.

6 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

Product Overview
The Laker layout system includes the following features.

Core Features
The Laker layout system provides rule-driven layout so physical layout that is DRC and
LVS correct can be rapidly realized, placed, routed, and edited. Unique controllable
automation simplifies numerous tasks from measurement to device generation. The builtin DRC engine drives the application of design rules through device generation, layout, and
routing.

Rule-driven Layout
Automatically checks, displays, and snaps to width, space, notch, overlap, and enclosure
rules in real time. The Laker layout system supports:

Selecting an area of layout and automatically correcting DRC violations.

LVS-correct layout results with flight lines that display connectivity information to
guide and speed-up wiring operations.
Automatically identifying any created shorts in real time.
Moving same-layer routes out of the way when hand-routing high priority nets with
the Push Wire feature.
Rules for width, space, notch, overlap, and enclosure including foundryrecommended and DFM rules.

Built-in Routers
The built-in routers in the Laker layout system use the designs connectivity to
automatically finish wiring on the fly. Features include:

A point-to-point router that either automatically or interactively creates a DRCcorrect route between the source and target.
Interactive, DRC-correct Pathfinder that follows the cursor in point and click
routing mode, recognizing and routing around same layer metal - or switch layers
with the click of a bind key and Pathfinder will retain connectivity by automatically
placing the appropriate via stacks.
A route-by-label function that automatically creates routes between multiple points as
guided by text or labels.
A net router that automatically routes single or multiple nets.
Laker User Guide and Tutorial 7

User-Defined Device (UDD)

For complex devices, such as spiral inductors, the Laker layout system offers a convenient
tool that creates parameterized devices (similar to PCells) without scripting. A device can
be drawn in the UDD layout window, and then layout rules and parameters can be set using
the built-in form, and parameters to be changed by users can be assigned. In addition,
existing layout, including legacy PCell layout, can be read into the UDD tool and
parameterized for use in the Laker layout system.

Advanced Features
The Laker layout system uses unique technologies to exploit design rules, connectivity and
parameters during layout in an efficient, consistent, and automatic way.

Schematic-driven Layout
With schematic-driven layout, optimized layout can be rapidly created that is DRC/LVScorrect in less time without sacrificing density or design styles. Both netlist and schematic
views are included with the Laker layout editor for an intuitive SDL working environment,
which includes:

A hierarchical design browser for rapidly searching the hierarchy and cross- probing
between schematic, netlist, and layout. The design hierarchy can be modified for
more efficient layout by flattening logical groups of devices into higher level devices.
A schematic view for enabling schematic-driven layout. Cross-probe with the design
browser to identify candidates for flattening. Automatically identify repeated patterns,
associate optimized layout for those patterns and generate layout in seconds.
A layout editor for rapid, rule-driven layout. Realize, place, route, and edit physical
layout that is DRC- and LVS-correct.
A patented automatic schematic generator for creating a readable schematic from
CDL or SPICE netlists.

Stick Diagram Compiler

Based on the unique MCell technology, the Stick Diagram Compiler executes transistor
floor-planning on-the-fly during device generation in the SDL flow. View and optimize
device layout at a higher level of abstraction: swap, merge, move, split and align gates at a
symbolic level without having to worry about design rules, connectivity or parameter
values. The built-in automatic transistor placer offers a multi-row placement capability for
PMOS and NMOS transistors that displays the best transistor placement for area and
routing based on the given placement criteria.

8 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

Matching Device Creator

The Matching Device Creator is similar to the Stick Diagram Compiler, but customtailored to create matching device layout. It is also used to create resistors and capacitors.

Design Hierarchy Manipulation for Layout Optimization

For a more efficient layout implementation, a pattern can be created by grouping multiple
circuit elements into a higher level device, and then you can automatically locate the
pattern throughout the circuit and associate all occurrences of it with the optimized layout
generated for the pattern while retaining full connectivity. Manipulation of circuit
hierarchy in the design browser and layout windows drastically reduces the time spent
laying out repeat circuitry.

Hierarchical Net Tracer

Using the relationships defined in the technology file section, the Hierarchical Net Tracer
interactively traces the connection relationship of a net. The Hierarchical Net Tracer
supports cross window viewing, creating and editing to a user-specified tracing depth.

Laker User Guide and Tutorial 9

10 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

User Interface: Overview

User Interface
Overview
The LakerTM system is a multi-window application with an easy-to-use graphical user
interface (GUI). It runs under Unix and Linux.
The Laker system has a number of commands, including many that you invoke through
mouse clicks or drags rather than selecting from pull-down menus at the top of each
window. Read this chapter to familiarize yourself with the interface conventions of the
Laker system before you proceed further.
This chapter covers the following topics:

Common User Interface Features

Main Window User Interface
Design Window User Interface
Selection Schemes

Laker User Guide and Tutorial 11

User Interface: Common User Interface Features

Common User Interface Features

This section describes the common user interface features in the Main and Layout
windows.

Window Banner
The banner at the top of each window may vary depending on the check-out license.

Main Window Banner

The banner at the top of the Main window specifies the application name with its license
level. When using the L3 license, the window banner of the Main window will look like the
following figure:

Figure: Main Window Banner

The banner of the Main, Layout, and Schematic windows can be customized to show extra
information by defining one of the following settings before the Laker software is started:

Set a keyword WndUserBannerTitle in the [LeoPreference] section of the laker.rc

resource file. For example:
[LeoPreference]
WndUserBannerTitle = "90nm Project X"

Set an environment variable WndUserBannerTitle in UNIX. For example:

setenv WndUserBannerTitle "Project X"

Once the environment variable is set, the value in the laker.rc resource file will be
ignored.
The Main window banner with extra information will look like the following figure:
Extra information: 90nm Project X

Figure: Main Window Banner with Extra Information

Layout Window Banner

The banner at the top of the Layout window identifies the application name, license level,
window number, library name, cell name, user unit, open mode, view level, and the saved
or unsaved status of the layout.

12 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

User Interface: Common User Interface Features

Application name: Laker
License Level: L3
Window number: 1

Library name: lib1

Cell name: c1_1
User unit: micron

Open Mode: Edit

View Level: 0 (top level)

[Edit:0*] means that the layout data is at the top level and it has been edited

and is not saved; the asterisk (*) will disappear when the data is saved.

Figure: Layout Window Banner

For example, Laker_L3:1.lib1:c1_1[micron][Edit:0*] means that Laker is started with the

L3 license, and this is the first window since it has been started. This window banner also
tells the user unit of the layout, and indicates that cell c1_1 from library lib1 has been
opened with Edit mode at the top level and the layout has been edited and is not saved at
the moment. The asterisk (*) will be removed when the layout is saved.
The display of the user unit (defined in the technology file section tfLayoutSystemUnit) on
the window banner can be set in the laker.rc resource file designated by the keyword
DsgWndUnitOnBanner.
The Layout window banner with extra information will look like the following figure:
Extra information: 90nm Project X

Figure: Layout Window Banner with Extra Information

Schematic Window Banner

The banner at the top of the Schematic window identifies the application name, license
level, window number, library name, cell name, and open mode.
Application name: Laker
License Level: L3
Window number: 3

Library name: Adder

Cell name: 4_bit_PG_GEN
Open Mode: Read Only

Figure: Schematic Window Banner

The Schematic window banner with extra information will look like the following figure:
Extra information: 90nm Project X

Figure: Schematic Window Banner with Extra Information

Laker User Guide and Tutorial 13

User Interface: Common User Interface Features

Pull-down Menus
A pull-down menu bar is located just below the window banner. Each menu item contains
several commands that are displayed when the menu is selected. A command can be
invoked by choosing it from the pull-down menu or by using the available bind key.
The Laker system supports the tear-off menu convention, which allows a frequently used
menu to be pulled aside and left open.
The appearance of pull-down menus can be customized by modifying the menu files. Refer
to the Customizing Laker description in the Resource File and Customization chapter of the
Laker Command Reference Manual for more details.

Mnemonic Keys
The window menus support Meta key invocation using mnemonics. The mnemonic for
each item is indicated by an underline (_).
For example, to display the File -> Open menu (meta -fo), press and hold the <Meta> key
on your keyboard (the diamond key/<Alt> key on Sun keyboards, or the <Alt> key on
Windows keyboards) and press the f key, and then release the <Meta> key and press the
letter o key.

Bind Keys
You can bind a command to a keystroke. After you have defined bind keys, you can easily
invoke commands with a keystroke.
Refer to the Bind Key Summary for the available bind keys in the Laker system.
Refer to the Customizing Laker description in the Resource File and Customization chapter
of the Laker Command Reference Manual for more details on the customization of bind
keys.

Esc Key
Pressing the Esc key can abort a command if the options form does not appear.
If the form appears, pressing the Esc key can close the options form or the object attributes
form, without aborting the command (the command remains executed).

On-line Help
All application windows provide hypertext-based on-line help, which can be accessed
through the Help menu on the main toolbar.
14 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

User Interface: Common User Interface Features

Pressing the F1 key within an active options form will open a quick access menu to the
command description in the Laker Command Reference Manual. This index-like menu is
organized by the appearance of commands in each pull-down menu.

Toolbar Icons
The convenient toolbar icons appear beneath the pull-down menu bar. These toolbar icons
give you access to frequently-used commands at the current window.

Mouse Operations
The available mouse operations are described in the following paragraphs.

Mouse Operations for Selection

The mouse is most often used to select objects, edges or vertex in the layout by clicking the
left mouse button.
You can select ranges of objects by dragging with the left mouse button over the objects.
For example, to select a region in the layout, use Shift+a to invoke the Area Select
command, and then drag-left to select a region.
You can also select a range by using the Shift key while left-clicking. For example, to select
multiple objects, edges, or vertices, use the Shift key while left-clicking.
To add or remove individual objects to or from the selection, use the Ctrl key while leftclicking.
To deselect all objects, simply left-click on an empty area in the layout.
Refer to the Selection Schemes section for details.

Mouse Operations for Creation

When drawing rectangles, circles or ellipses, left-click to start or complete the drawing
operation.
When drawing polygons or paths, left-click to start drawing or add a vertex for these
shapes, and then right-click to complete the drawing operation.
When drawing instances or MCells, right-click to rotate an instance or MCell 90 degrees
counterclockwise before placing the device; Ctrl+right-click to turn an instance or MCell
upside down before placing the device; Shift+right-click to mirror an instance or MCell
before placing the device.

Laker User Guide and Tutorial 15

User Interface: Common User Interface Features

When drawing doughnuts, left-click to place the center of the doughnut, and draw the first
and second circles of the doughnut.

Mouse Operations for Editing

When the Move or Stretch command is active, you can move selected objects or stretch
selected edges or vertices by dragging with the left mouse button over the objects, edges or
vertices.

Mouse Operations for Zooming and Panning

To zoom in an area in the layout, use Ctrl+z to invoke the Zoom In command, and then
left-click in the layout area. If the command is not invoked, you can also drag-right on the
layout area to perform the zoom in operation.
To show or hide the content window in the layout pane, middle-click in the layout area.
To pan to a selected point, use Shift+Tab to invoke the Pan command, and then left-click
to perform the panning operation.

Mouse Operations in the Layout Table Pane

Refer to the Layout Table Pane description for more details on the mouse operations in the
Layout Table pane of the Design window.

Right-click Command Menus

Right-clicking a library or cell in the Open Cell form shows a right-click command menu,
which includes the commands to access that library or cell. Refer to the Open Cell
description in the Main Window chapter of the Laker Command Reference Manual for
more details on the right-click command menus of Library and Cell commands.
Right-clicking an instance in the design hierarchy browser pane shows a right-click
command menu. Refer to the Right-click Command Menu description in the Design
Hierarchy Browser chapter of the Laker Command Reference Manual for more details.
Right-clicking in the Schematic window shows a right-click command menu, which access
the Schematic commands in the Layout window pane and the commands in the design
hierarchy browser pane. Refer to the Right-click Command Menu description in the
Schematic Window chapter of the Laker Command Reference Manual for more details.
Right-clicking in the Layout window pane shows a right-click command menu, which
access the Move, Copy, Delete and Attribute commands. Refer to the Defining Right-click
Command Menu description of the Resource File and Customization chapter in the Laker

16 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

User Interface: Common User Interface Features

Command Reference Manual for more details on how to re-define the right-click command
menu in the Layout window pane.

Laker User Guide and Tutorial 17

User Interface: Main Window

Main Window User Interface

The Main window is displayed after Laker is started. From this window, you may convert
several external data types, such as GDSII/ASCII, DEF/LEF and CDL netlist, to the Laker
database, and vice versa.
After the data is imported, you may further build up the data structure, such as creating or
classifying the libraries and cells, configuring the technology file and library path mapping,
and defining the favorite settings to ease the layout tasks in the Laker system.
Toolbar Icon

Menu Bar

Message Pane

Figure: Main Window

The Main window consists of the following key components.

Toolbar Icon
There is only one toolbar icon in the toolbar of the Main window. When you rest your
mouse cursor over the toolbar icon, you will see a yellow tip window, indicating the
function of the selected button.
Clicking the Open Cell toolbar icon will bring up the Open Cell form, for which you need
to provide library name, cell name, and search path information in order to open a cell view.

Message Pane
A message pane appears beneath the toolbar. From this message pane, you can check the
messages associated with system warnings, data conversion, executed commands, and
preference settings. A log file (laker.log) is provided to record the messages displayed in
this pane.
On the other hand, you may execute the enhanced Tcl commands in this pane. For example,
you can type lakerOpenDesign -lib ram -cell ram -mode edit and then hit the Enter
key. The layout view of the cell (ram) in the library (ram) will be opened in the Design
window.
18 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

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Refer to the Laker Tcl Reference Manual for more details on available Tcl commands.

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Design Window User Interface

The Design window is displayed after a cell is opened. This window consists of a pulldown menu bar, two rows of convenient toolbar icons, a comprehensive status bar and the
following window panes: Layer Table, Content window, Layout window, Design Hierarchy
Browser, and Schematic window.
Menu Bar

Toolbar Icons

Content Window
Design Hierarchy Broswer

Layout Window

Schematic Window

Layer Table
Status Bar
Figure: Design Window

These key components of the Design window are described in the following sections.

Toolbar Icons
The following figures show the toolbar icons available in the Design window and design
hierarchy browser pane.

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Select Inside Group Device Object Mode

Undo
Zoom All
Selection Mode: Vertex/Edge, OBJ
Open Cell Print Zoom Out

Redo Zoom In Deselect All

Save Cell

Cursor X Offset

Cursor X Position

Select Count
Command Name

Cursor Y Offset

Cursor Y Position

Selected Transistor To Stick Diagram

Stretch
Create
Split Transistor
Create Create
Mirror Y
Rectangle Path Instance
Delete Chop Split
Match

Create Create Move

Mirror X
Reshape Merge
Copy
Polygon Text
Merge Transistors

Rotate 90

View Top System Pin

Layout+Abstract Mode Design Hierarchy Browser
Abstract Mode
Schematic Window

Attribute
Layer Tap
Replace

Object Selectability
Find
View Instance Pin
Activate Short Detector Layout Mode
Measure Distance
Schematic Float Window
Stand-alone Schematic Window
Figure: Design Window Toolbar Icons
Fix Discrepancy
Select All
Highlight
Show Instance
Expand All

Create

Collapse All
Preference
Matching Device Creator

Show Net

Figure: Design Hierarchy Browser Toolbar Icons

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Layout Window Pane

The layout window pane is the window where the layout drawing is performed. You can
open multiple Design windows and work in them simultaneously.
Refer to the Layout Window chapter of the Laker Command Reference Manual for more
details.

Design Hierarchy Browser Pane

The design hierarchy browser pane appears, in the upper left of the Design window, only
when opening a schematic cell view or a layout cell that contains the schematic data.
Refer to the Design Hierarchy Browser chapter of the Laker Command Reference Manual
for more details.

Schematic Window Pane

The Schematic window pane appears only when you open a schematic cell view or a layout
cell that contains schematic data. This window presents a schematic view of your netlist
data in initial or revised state.
Refer to the Schematic Window chapter of the Laker Command Reference Manual for more
details.

Content Window Pane

To zoom in/out of different layout areas, drag the right mouse button in the Layout window
pane to specify an area on the Content window pane. The yellow rectangle presents an
outline of a full opened cell, and the white rectangle presents the current view area.
The content window pane can be shown or hidden by clicking the middle mouse button in
the Layout window pane. This content window pane is hidden by default.

Layer Table Pane

The Layer Table pane contains layers that are used to create objects.
Each layer has a different color/pattern and name, ensuring that it stands out against
multiple layers. A yellow tip window, showing layerName, layerNo, and PurposeName, is
displayed when the mouse cursor is placed over a selected layer. The layer outlined in red
indicates that it has been selected.
Each layer comprises two parts: Visible Control Part and Select Control Part. The former
presents the visible attribute (Layer Color/Pattern) and the latter presents the selectable
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attribute (Layer Name). The visibility and selectability of layers are configurable in the
Layer Table pane.
Refer to the Layer Setting description for more details.
All Layers Visible
All Layers Selectable
Layer Category
Purpose Name

Scroll Bar
Resize Controller
Yellow Tip Window

Visible Control Part

Select Control Part
Figure: Layer Table Pane

The category name shown in the Layer Category selection list of the Layer Table pane is
the last selected or deselected category.

Figure: Layer Category Selection List

Clicking the name button can select or deselect the category.

Clicking the arrow button shows all categories with the appearance status. The appearance
of categories can be configured by checking or unchecking the category button. Refer to
the Category Setting description for more details.
The built-in SysPinSet category in the Layer Category selection list collects the system
pin layers of the layout in the Layer Table pane. This will quickly control the selectability
and visibility of related system pin layers in the layout.
The SysPinSet category only appears in the Layer Table pane of the Layout window, it is
not configurable in the Category Setting tab of the Layer Table Editor form.

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When the SysPinSet category is turned on, the PinBorder related layers, which are defined
in the technology file section tfLayoutConnection, will be listed at the bottom (or right) of
the Layer Table pane, as shown in the following figure.

Figure: Show List of PinBorder Related Layers when SysPinSet is on

The relationship between the PinBorder layer and the PinBorder related layers in the
SysPinSet category is explained as follows:

When the PinBorder layer is set to invisible, all PinBorder related layers will become
invisible.
When the PinBorder layer is set to un-selectable, all PinBorder related layers will
become un-selectable.

Figure: PinBorder Layer and PinBorder Related Layers

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When all PinBorder related layers are invisible, if any of these layers are set to
selectable (and visible), the PinBorder layer will become selectable and visible.
When all PinBorder related layers are invisible, if any of these layers are set to visible,
the PinBorder layer will become visible but un-selectable.

Figure: PinBorder Layer and PinBorder Related Layers

Displaying the Layer Table pane will make the layout procedures much easier. The Layer
Table pane can be attached to the bottom, top, left or right of the Layout window pane by
selecting Window -> Layer Table -> Attach Bottom; Window -> Layer Table -> Attach
Top; Window -> Layer Table -> Attach Right; or Window -> Layer Table -> Attach
Left.
To hide the Layer Table pane, choose Window -> Layer Table -> Hide LayerTbl.

Scroll Bar
To view other layers in the Layer Table pane, use the scroll bar to show other layers.

Resize Controller
Move the mouse cursor over the boundary of the Layer Table pane and the mouse cursor
becomes a
or
(Resize Controller). To view more or fewer layers, drag the resize
controller to change the size of the Layer Table pane.

Purpose Name
There are four system purposes defined in the technology file: boundary, net, pin, and
drawing. In the Layer Table pane, the purpose name is displayed with the first and last
characters; for example, the purpose drawing is tagged as dg.
Refer to the Customizing Purpose Name description for more details on the configuration
of the length of the purpose name.
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Set Layer Selectable/Unselectable

To enable/disable the selectability of a layer, move the mouse cursor over the Select
Control Part (Layer Name area), and right-click any layer item. The Select Control Part of
the selected layer appears dimmed when it is unselectable, this means that the layer cannot
be selected after redrawing the Layout window pane. To restore the selectability, right-click
the same area again.
Shift-right-click the Select Control Part of a layer item will set the
indicated layer selectable, and disable the selectability of other layers.
Shift-right-click the same area again will set the layer unselectable, and enable the
selectability of other layers.

Set Layer Visible/Invisible

To enable/disable the visibility of a layer, move the mouse cursor over the Visible Control
Part (Layer Color/Pattern area), and right-click any layer item. The Visible Control Part of
the selected layer appears dimmed when it is invisible, this means that the layer cannot be
viewed after redrawing the Layout window pane. To restore the visibility, right-click the
same area again.
Shift-right-click the Visible Control Part of a layer item will set the
indicated layer visible, and disable the visibility of other layers. Shiftright-click the same area again will set the layer invisible, and enable the visibility of other
layers.
NOTE: If a layer is set to invisible, it will become unselectable automatically.

Set All Layers Visible

The visibility of all layers can be enabled or disabled by clicking on the VisAll button.

Set All Layers Selectable

The selectability of all layers can be enabled or disabled by clicking on the SelAll button.

Change Layer Order

Layer order may be changed in the Layout window pane when adjusting the drawing order
in the layout table pane. The highest drawing priority is at the left/top of the Layer Table
pane and the lowest is at the right/bottom.
For example, in the following Layer Table pane, the first layer shapes will be drawn with
the PWELL layer, and then covered with other layer shapes.
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Figure: Layer Table Pane

To change the layer order, select a layer by clicking the left mouse button. Then, move the
layer to its destination via a drag-and-drop operation (pressing the middle mouse button).
While dragging the item, a yellow line is displayed, indicating the destination position.

Set Layer Color/Pattern Attributes

The Layer Table Editor form appears when a layer item is double-clicked. The User tab,
on the left, is used to modify the layer attributes that are defined in the technology file.
Clicking the Save TF button saves the modification to the technology file.
In the User tab, left-click to select a layer, and modify its color/pattern attributes on the
right. The layer name, layer number, and purpose name are editable. When all selections
are completed, click the Modify button to apply the modifications to the active library. The
visibility and selectability settings of a layer in the User tab will be synchronized with the
Layer Table pane.
The System tab is used to modify the color/pattern attributes of system features. The layer
name, layer number, and purpose name in this System tab are not editable. The changes
will be saved to a resource file (laker.rc), which will use the newly saved settings for the
next launch.

Layer Dynamic Selection Field

The layer dynamic selection field at the bottom or rightmost area of the Layer Table pane
is used to locate specified layers or purposes in the current category set.
In the layer dynamic selection field, enter a string, stream number, or purpose number, and
press Enter to quickly find the layers matching the filter pattern. The Layer Table pane will
be refreshed when a filtered pattern is matched. If no layers are matched, the Layer Table
pane will be empty.

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Layer dynamic selection field at the bottom of the Layer Table pane
Layer dynamic selection field at the rightmost area of the Layer Table pane

Figure: Layer Dynamic Selection Field

This layer filter saves ten historical filtered patterns, which can be obtained by clicking the
arrow button in the dynamic selection field.
The filtered patterns can be specified by number or string. The numerical patterns can be
assigned with layer purpose pair or multiple filtered patterns. The string patterns can be
assigned with regular expression, layer purpose pair, or multiple filtered patterns.
These filtered patterns apply to the layer selection field of the Query -> Find, Replace,
and Attribute commands, and the layer dynamic selection field and active layer selection
field in the Layout window.

Regular Expressions
The following regular expressions can be used in filtered patterns:
*

Matches any sequence of zero or more characters.

Matches any single character. For example, m?n will match with man and min, but not main.

[CHARS]

Matches any single character in CHARS. If CHARS contains a sequence of the form a-b, any character
between a and b, inclusive, will match. The characters are case-sensitive. For example, *[tl]Bdry
will match with SoftBdry and CellBdry.

\x

Matches the single character x. This avoids special interpretation for any of characters *?[]\

Layer Purpose Pair Styles

The colon (:) can be used to specify a layer purpose pair with one of the following styles:

specifies a layer purpose pair with layer name and purpose

name, for example: MET1:drawing means that it is a MET1 layer with drawing purpose.
layerNumber:purposeNumber specifies a layer purpose pair with layer number and
purpose number, for example: 31:252 means that it is a MET1 with drawing purpose.
layerName:purposeName

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specifies a layer purpose pair with GDS number and data type, for
example: 16:0 indicates that it is a MET1 layer with drawing purpose.

gdsNumber:dataType

Multiple Filtered Patterns

Multiple filtered patterns must be separated by spaces, for example: POLY*

MET? [PN]WELL.

When specifying multiple filtered patterns, the regular expression and the layer purpose
pair can be defined as follows. For example:

POLY* MET*:draw* displays the layers or layer aliases that match with POLY*, and also
displays the layers that match with MET* and the draw* purpose.
POLY* *WELL:draw* MET* displays the layers or layer aliases that match with POLY* and
MET*, and also displays the layers that match with *WELL and the draw* purpose.
POLY*:draw* *:p* displays the layers that match with POLY* and the draw* purpose, and
also displays all layers that match with the p* purpose.
POLY* 12:* or POLY* 12 displays the layers or layer aliases that match with POLY*, and
also displays the layers that match with layer number 12.
POLY* *:0 or POLY* :0 displays the layers or layer aliases that match with POLY*, and
also displays the layers that match with purpose number 0.
POLY* 12:0 displays the layers or layer aliases that match with POLY*, and also displays
the layers that match with layer number 12 and purpose number 0.
: displays all layers. This pattern is equal to *:*.
* displays all layers. This pattern is equal to *:*. When only the symbol * is entered in
the empty dynamic selection field, the filtered pattern will not be shown and the
dynamic selection field will remain empty.

Status Bar
The status bar in the Design window consists of the following parts: Tcl Command Line
Area, Message Line Area, Active Layer Selection Field, Rule-driven Editing Mode, and
Snap Mode.
Tcl Command Line Area Active Layer Selection Field Rule-driven Editing Mode

Message Line Area

Snap Mode
Figure: Status Bar in the Design Window

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Tcl Command Line Area

This area executes Tcl commands in the Layout window. For example, type the command
lakerZoomAll and hit the Enter key. The current cell view will then fit into the Layout
window.
Refer to the Laker Tcl Reference Manual for more details.

Message Line Area

This area shows the pre-selection information, mode switching messages, and other
information, such as the meaning or the brief function of a command. For example, the preselection information regarding an active layer, such as layerName, layerNo, and
PurposeName, is shown in this field.
The information format is configurable by using the Show Information option in the
Selector section of the General tab in the Preferences form (invoked by the Options ->
Preferences command in the Main window), and the number of lines to be displayed in the
message line area can be defined in the Design Window Status Bar section.

Active Layer Selection Field

This area shows the current drawing layer and the layer information. From this area, the
active layer can be selected by using one of the following methods:

Switch an active layer to another layer by giving a layer name, if the layer exists, in
the editable text field, as shown in the following figure.
Specify a layer name in this editable text field

Figure: Type Layer Name and Press Enter Key

The layer name and purpose name are case-sensitive. The matched layer is always
visible and selectable. Keep pressing the Enter key may look for the same matched
layer with all its available purposes in turn and circle around these layers if the result
is more than one. The layer information is refreshed in the message line area
according to the matched layer.
If the mouse is not anywhere within the editable text field (loosing focus), the
application will reset the input layer to active layer.
All layers, including visible and invisible, can be searched by one of the following
actions.

Specify full layer name by typing POLY in the text field and press Enter, the active
layer changes to POLY (drawing) immediately.

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Keep pressing Enter may look for the same matched layer with other purpose, as
shown in the following figure.

Figure: Search Matched Layer with All Available Purposes

Specify the first character or leading characters of layer by typing M or MET and
press Enter, the active layer changes to the first matched layer whose name
begins with M or MET, according to the appearance and priority in the layer table,
as shown in the following figure.

Figure: Search Matched Layer with All Available Purposes

Search the layer and/or purpose name with regular expressions where the asterisk
(*) indicates 0~n characters, and the question mark (?) indicates any characters.
For example, typing P* and press Enter may bring up a list of layers whose name
begins with P. You may get different results by giving the following combination:
Input

Output

P*

List of layers whose name begins with P.

P?

List of layers whose name begins with P and with another character.

P???

List of layers whose name begins with P and with other three characters.

P* d*

List of layers whose name begins with P and with purpose name begins with d.

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Figure: Search Layer/Purpose with Regular Expression

Clicking on the purpose name of the active layer appears a list of available layers, as
shown in the following figure. The list contents are similar to the Layer Table pane.
The active layer may be changed by choosing a layer from the list. This function is
useful when you hide the Layer Table pane, and wish to have a much broader layout
space.

Figure: Left-click the Purpose Name to Show the Layer Table Pane

Status for Rule-driven Editing Mode

This area shows the status for the selected rule-driven editing mode. Using this mode, you
can finish your layout task easily. Use F5 to switch between the modes.
The rule-driven design rules are defined in the technology file section tfLayoutLayerRule.
The Rule-driven editing modes are briefly described as follows.
Rule-driven Editing Modes

Description

Display Ruler Mode

A ruler is displayed in the Layout window when the Display Ruler Mode is
turned on.

Rule-driven Mode

With Rule-driven Mode enabled, the object can be calibrated to cope with
design rules.

Push-Wire Mode

With Push-Wire Mode enabled, objects can be moved by maintaining the

connectivity with correct design rules.

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Basic Concept of Rule-driven Editing

Traditional layout editor tools require layout designers to manually measure the distance
of two edges, between which there exists a spacing constraint.
While the manual measurement is inaccurate and time-consuming, an innovative layout
methodology, rule-driven layout editing, can automatically either tip all necessary design
rules to inform layout engineers of the occurrence of a violation, or reshape the violation
part so that it meets the design rule.
This rule-driven editing capability automatically applies the new design rules after the
technology file is updated, allowing designers to operate as usual.
The basic concept and editing modes, including normal, display ruler, rule-driven editing,
and push-wire editing, are explained in the following sections.
The rule-driven editing feature incorporates a few display keywords, each of them
representing a rule, such as:
w

width rule

spacing rule

notch rule

overlap rule

enclosure rule

The concept of the rebounding area is shown in the following figure. When placing the
mouse cursor inside the rebounding area, the cursor will be rebounded to the defined ruledistance spot.

Figure: The Concept of Rebounding Area

Multiple distance-checking rules can be included; however, only the rule that is nearest to
the trace cursor will be chosen.

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Figure: The Concept of Rebounding Area

The rebounding radius and displaying ruler values can be set by turning on the RuleDriven Threshold option through the Preferences form, invoked by the Options ->
Preferences -> Command tab under the Main window.

Rule-driven Editing Mode

While creating or editing objects, you can change the rule-driven editing mode by using
F5, as long as the design rules have been defined in the technology file.
Rule-driven editing feature is comprised of Normal mode, Display Ruler mode, Ruledriven mode, and Push-Wire mode. After enabling these modes, pressing the magic key
(Spacebar) allows you to switch among the modes. When you switch the mode, the current
mode will be displayed in the status bar at the same time.
As stretching object with rule-driven and/or display ruler mode, you may enable the Lock
Angles option, and disable the Keep Selected Length option in the Stretch options form;
otherwise, this may cause the rule-driven and/or display ruler mode to malfunction, and
you will see these icons
showing in the status bar, and get warning message printed
in the message pane of the Main window.

Normal Mode
You may work as usual under this normal editing mode (without any design rule iteration
guiding you to construct layout).

Display Ruler Mode

The status for Display Ruler mode is represented by
. This editing mode notes the
distance between the working object and those objects that have the design-rule constraint
relationship. The system highlights the violation distance to warn the layout designers
whenever the distance violates the design rules, it prompts all necessary design rules as you
create or edit an object. For example, when you want to measure the spacing rule between
the rectangle being created and an existing object, you can move the mouse cursor from a
distance of 1.4 um to 0.8 um, and the ruler will automatically appear and measure the space,
as shown in the following figure. In the figure below, 1.4 s means the distance 1.4 um and
the spacing rule.

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Figure: 1.4 s Means the Distance 1.4 um and the Spacing Rule

To measure the enclosure rule of a rectangle being stretched across an existing object, you
can move the mouse cursor from the distance of 0.8 um to 0.5 um, and the ruler will
automatically appear and measure the enclosure rule, as shown in the following figure. In
the figure below, 0.8 c means the distance 0.8 um and the enclosure rule. In other words,
the distance by which the MET1 layer encloses the CONT layer is 0.8 um.

Figure: 0.8 c Means the Distance 0.8 um and the Enclosure Rule

Rule-driven Mode
The status for Rule-driven mode is represented by
. This editing mode not only
incorporates the functionality of Display Ruler, but also forces the distance between the
working object and its neighboring object to fit the minimum rule distance if their
proximity violates or approaches the design rule. If there exists more than two constraints
for the working objects in question, the minimum rule distance is chosen. It fits the design
to the minimum rules if the distances, regarding related objects, approaches the design rule.
When creating or editing objects in the rule-driven mode, you will be prompted with the
design rules in real-time. In the examples below, we will show you how to create and edit
objects on different layers within the rule-driven mode.

Push-Wire Mode
The status for Push-Wire mode is represented by
. It allows you to move objects by
maintaining the connectivity with correct design rules. Refer to Edit -> Stretch for details.

Rule-driven Layout Editing

Enabling the rule-driven editing feature may help you to maintain the accuracy and
correctness while editing your design. This section provides a few samples for rule-driven
layout editing:

Creating a Rectangle on the CONT Layer

Creating a Rectangle on the MET1 Layer
Copying the Rectangle on the CONT Layer
Stretching the Rectangle on the MET1 Layer
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Moving Instances, Arrays, or MCells

Moving Selected Objects

Creating a Rectangle on the CONT Layer

First, we draw a rectangle on the CONT layer. Complete the following steps:
1. Select Create -> Rectangle.
2. In the Layer Table pane, left-click the CONT layer.
3. Press the magic key (Spacebar) to switch the current editing mode to Rule-driven
mode.
4. In the Layout window pane, left-click to enter the first drawing point for a rectangle,
and drag your mouse cursor across the Layout window. The outline of a rectangle
appears as the mouse cursor moves.
5. The ruler distance appears, as shown in the following figure, only if the drawing area
is smaller than the minimum width of the CONT layer, as defined in the
tfLayoutLayerRule section of the technology file. When the mouse cursor approaches
the design rule, the cursor position will automatically incorporate the minimum width
defined in the technology file.
6. Left-click again to enter the next drawing point and complete the rectangle. A
rectangle has been created on the CONT layer.

Figure: Ruler Distance Appears If Drawing Area is Smaller Than The Defined Width

Creating a Rectangle on the MET1 Layer

Next, we will draw a rectangle on the MET1 layer, overlapped with the rectangle on the
CONT layer. Complete the following steps:
1. In the Layer Table pane, left-click the MET1 layer.
2. Left-click in the Layout window pane to enter the first drawing point for a rectangle,
and drag your mouse cursor to enclose the rectangle on the CONT layer.
3. The ruler distance appears, as shown in the following figure, only if the mouse cursor
gets close to the CONT layer. The cursor position will automatically incorporate the
minimum enclosure rule, as defined in the technology file.
4. Left-click again to enter the next drawing point and complete the rectangle. A
rectangle, overlapped with the rectangle on the CONT layer, has been created on the
MET1 layer.
In this case, the minimum design rule for MET1 to enclose CONT is 0.5um.

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Figure: Ruler Distance Appears If Mouse Cursor Gets Close to The Other Layer

Copying the Rectangle on the CONT Layer

Now, we copy the rectangle you have just created on the CONT layer. Complete the
following steps:
1. Select Edit -> Copy or use the bind key c to invoke the Copy command.
2. In the Layout window pane, left-click to select the rectangle on the CONT layer. An
outline of the selected object appears along with the design rules, as shown in the
following figure.

Figure: Object Outline appears along with the Design Rules

3. Move the copied rectangle to the desired place. When the mouse cursor gets close to
the existing related rectangle, the copied rectangle will fit the minimum design rule,
as shown in the following figure.
4. After you have decided upon a location in which to place the rectangle, left-click to
copy it on to the CONT layer.

Figure: The Copied Rectangle Will Fit The Minimum Design Rule

Stretching the Rectangle on the MET1 Layer

Next, try to stretch the rectangle created on the MET1 layer toward the rectangle on the
CONT layer. Complete the following steps:
1. Select Edit -> Stretch or use the bind key s to invoke the Stretch command.
2. Left-click to select an edge of the rectangle on the MET1 layer. An outline of the
selected object appears with the design rules, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure: An Outline of Selected Object Appears with Design Rules

3. Stretch the selected edge to the desired place. When the mouse cursor gets close to the
rectangle on the CONT layer, the selected edge will fit the minimum design rule, as
shown in the following figure.

Figure: The Selected Edge Will Fit The Minimum Design Rule

4. Left-click to finish stretching the rectangle. The two rectangles on the CONT layer are
now enclosed by the rectangle on the MET1 layer.

Figure: Rectangles on CONT Layer are Enclosed by the Rectangle on MET1 Layer

Moving Instances, Arrays or MCells

To move instances (including arrays and MCells) with the Rule-driven editing mode,
follow the steps below:
1. Use the bind key m to invoke the Move command.
2. Use the bind key Shift+f to set the view level to display all checking shapes of the
instance content.
3. In the layout window, left-click to set the reference point and select an instance to
move. Only one checking shape that is the nearest to the reference point will be
chosen.
4. Move the selected instance to the desired location. When the mouse cursor gets close
to the existing related shapes, the checking shape in the selected instance will fit the
minimum design rule. The relationship between layers is defined in the Design Rule
Description part in technology file.
5. Left-click to place the selected instance on a new location.

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Moving Selected Objects

To move objects with the Rule-driven editing mode, follow the steps below:
1. In the layout window, select a few shapes that you want to move.
2. Use the bind key m to invoke the Move command.
3. Left-click to set the reference point. Only one checking shape that is the nearest to the
reference point will be chosen.
4. Move the selected shape to the desired location. When the mouse cursor gets close to
the existing related shapes, the checking shape will fit the minimum design rule. The
relationship between layers is defined in the Design Rule Description part in
technology file.
5. Left-click to place the selected shape on a new location.

Status for Snap Modes

This area shows the status of the selected snap mode. The snap mode controls how the
cursor is locked to the grid when creating, editing or selecting objects.
When the snap mode is used in the following commands, it controls how segments or
objects snap when creating, moving, re-shaping, selecting or stretching objects: Align,
Area Select, Bus Route, Chop, Continue Bus, Copy, Create Bus, Create Dimension
Mark, Create Guard Ring, Create Path, Create Pin, Create Polygon, Create Row,
Create Ruler Label, Create Stack Path, Create Text, Delete Row, Differential Pair
Route, Measure Distance, Measure Point-to-Point Resistance, Move, ReGuardRing,
Reshape, Rotate, Split, Split Net, Stretch, Stretch Capacitor, Stretch Contact, Stretch
Guard Ring, Stretch Resistor, Stretch Row, Symmetric Route, Tag Ruler, and Yank.
When creating, editing or selecting segments or objects, the snap mode can be cyclically
selected by pressing the F6 key; or by clicking the Snap Mode icon on the status bar, as
illustrated and summarized in the following table.
Snap Modes

Description

AnyAngle

Snap segments or objects at any angle.

FixAngle

Snap segments or objects at a user-defined angle. The range of the user-defined angle is
from 0 to 180.
If the Laker _FPD license is invoked, FixAngle can be cyclically selected by F6 with
other snap modes; otherwise it can only be selected from the options form while other
snap modes can be cyclically selected by F6.

Orthogonal

Snap segments or objects parallel to the x- or y-axis.

Diagonal

Snap segments or objects parallel to the x- or y-axis, or 45-degree to either axis.

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Snap Modes

Description

L90XFirst

Snap two segments forming a 90-degree angle between the points entered, beginning
with a horizontal segment.

L90YFirst

Snap two segments forming a 90-degree angle between the points entered, beginning
with a vertical segment.

Horizontal

Snap segments or objects parallel to the x-axis.

Vertical

Snap segments or objects parallel to the y-axis.

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User Interface: Selection Schemes

Selection Schemes
Various selection schemes are provided for different purposes and preferences. The V/E
(Vertex/Edge) and OBJ (Object) selection modes are used for objects, and the Device
Object Mode is used for MCells. These selection modes are configurable in the Preferences
form via Options -> Preferences -> General tab -> Selector -> Mode and Device Object
Mode of the Main window.
When working with the Edit commands, you can customize your own select actions prior
to the activation of each command.

Pre-Selection
When you move the trace cursor over an edge, an object or a vertex, a yellow dotted line
highlights what you can select. This scheme allows you to preview and choose a target (a
vertex, an edge or the whole object) before making any selection.
NOTE: If it is under the [OBJ] selection mode, the object will be highlighted even though

the trace cursor is on the edge or vertex.

Figure: Pre-select a vertex (left), an edge (middle) or an object (right)

Single Selection
When the edge, object, or vertex is highlighted by the pre-selection scheme, you may leftclick or press Enter to confirm the selection. The selected object is highlighted with a
white solid line and, if any other objects were previously selected, they will be
automatically deselected at the moment.

Figure: Select a vertex (left), an edge (middle) or an object (right)

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User Interface: Selection Schemes

Area Selection
You can select a group of objects by drawing a selection box around them, or by using the
available bind key and select options.
To simply select a group of objects, you may drag-left to form a rectangular box over the
object(s) you want to select. The object that is entirely inside the area is selected. Under the
[V/E] selection mode, if an object is partially inside that area, system will select its edge or
vertex that is inside the area. However, under the [OBJ] mode, only the object that is totally
inside the area will be selected. If any other objects were selected before this operation,
they will be deselected automatically after the action is done.

Figure: Drag-left to draw a selection box over a group of objects (top)

Object or edge that is entirely inside the box is selected (bottom)

On the other hand, you may use the bind key Shift+a to invoke the Area Select command
and press F3 to set your options in the Area Select options form, where provides different
select options, Rectangle, Polygon and Line, and selection modes, Enclose and Overlap, to
help user to select the desired object(s) efficiently.

Cycle Selection
While making selection on overlapped objects, you can use the Spacebar key to pre-select
your target edge, vertex or object among the overlaps.
Move your trace cursor over the overlapped area; a yellow dotted line will first highlight
the closest edge, vertex or object and show the pre-select information on the status bar
underneath. If this is not the target you wish to select, press Spacebar to pre-select another
that is within the overlapped area. You can repeat this action until you jump to the desired
target among the overlaps.

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User Interface: Selection Schemes

Figure: Press Spacebar to select your target among the overlaps

In this figure, we pre-select an edge of an object first. To see the other available at this preselection, press Spacebar. You will get the results in (2), (3) and (4). The location of the
trace cursor may effect the possible targets.

Multiple Selection
You may make multiple selection when used in combination with the Shift key. To select
an additional edge, object, or vertex, use Shift-left-click or Shift+Enter. To select an
additional group of objects, press Shift and draw a selection box over the group. Any
objects inside the selection box will be selected. The previously selected objects remain
selected.

Decrease Selection
You may also deselect an object, among many selected objects, when used in combination
with the Ctrl key. Use Ctrl-left-click or Ctrl+Enter to deselect an additional edge, object,
or vertex. To deselect an additional group, press Ctrl and draw a selection box over the
group. Any objects inside the selection box will be deselected.
To deselect all objects, left-click any empty area in the Layout window pane or click the
Deselect All button on the toolbar.

Used with the Edit Commands

When working with the Edit commands (e.g. Move, Stretch, and Copy), you may
customize your own selecting ways by using different select actions, as described below,
prior to the activation of any editing commands.
When you want to move an object or stretch the edge/vertex of an object, you may select
it in two ways:
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User Interface: Selection Schemes

Select the object then invoke the command: after the operation is done, the object
remains selected and the command is terminated. This is known as One-time
Execution. However, when you copy an object, only the newly generated object will
be selected after the operation. For example, if you select object A and invoke the
Copy command, a new object B will then be created and selected; object A will be
deselected at this moment.
Invoke the command then make the selection: after the operation is done, the
object/edge is deselected; however, you may continue the editing command until you
press the Esc key to exit. This is known as Continuable Action. This continuable
command action is available only when the Command Repeats option is enabled in
the Preferences form via Options -> Preferences -> Command tab under the Main
window. If this option is disabled, the executed command working with this selection
method will be terminated after the operation. The result is similar to One-time
Execution.

44 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

Quick Start: Overview

Quick Start
Overview
Follow the lessons provided in this tutorial, you will gain more practices and skillfully
exploit the functionalities of Laker.
This tutorial includes the following lessons:
Lesson 1: Import GDSII Stream Design
Lesson 2: Import LEF Design
Lesson 3: Import DEF Design
Lesson 4: Open the Design
Lesson 5: Understand the Design
The demo cases, which shipped with the Installation CD-ROM, will be used as the
examples to guide you through the basic data entry features, editing, and viewing tasks in
the Laker layout design system.
The tutorial data resides in the <install_dir>/demo directory. Copy the demo files from this
directory to your working directory.
> mkdir <working_dir>
> cp -r <install_dir>/demo <working_dir>
> cd <working_dir>/demo/nECO_Laker/Laker

To start the Laker software, execute the laker command under UNIX prompt:
> laker &

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Quick Start: Lesson 1: Import GDSII Stream Design

Lesson 1: Import GDSII Stream Design

This lesson explains how to import a GDSII stream data.
To import the GDSII stream data into Laker and configure the settings for the importing
job, follow the steps below.
1. Invoke File -> Import -> Stream in the Main window. An Import Stream form
appears after the command is invoked.
2. In the Input File Name text field, specify the stream file, CPU.db.
In the Technology File text field, specify the technology file, <working dir>/
laker_demo.tf.
In the Library Name text field, specify the library name, CPU.

Figure: Import Stream File

3. Use the default configuration in the Basic, Advanced, Property, and Log/Err tabs.
4. Click OK to proceed.
A summary of the data conversion will be displayed in the message pane of the Main
window, as illustrated in the following figure.

Figure: Data Conversion Summary

The detailed information and error report will be recorded in the gdsIn.log and gdsIn.err
files, respectively by default, or they will be saved with the filename specified in the Log/

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Quick Start: Lesson 1: Import GDSII Stream Design

Err File text field of the Log/Err tab. These files can be found under the lakerLog
directory.

Laker User Guide and Tutorial 47

Quick Start: Lesson 2: Import LEF Design

Lesson 2: Import LEF Design

This lesson explains how to import an LEF data.
The LEF file includes the basic information to define a leaf cell or a macro cell. This
information includes the cell boundary, power/ground pins, signal pins, the origin point of
the cell and necessary blockage areas.

Before You Start

Laker supports the DEF/LEF versions 5.3 and 5.4. Please confirm your DEF/LEF format
before importing the data into Laker.

Prepare Information File for LEF/DEF

The information file defines the layer name and basic routing information for connection
and via layers. The minimum width and space is also included. The following is a sample
of the information file.
# Define layer mapping relation and information
# layer
Purpose
LEF/DEF
layerType
# Name
Name
layerName
MASTERSLICE/ OVERLAP/CUT
#
ROUTING DIRECTION PITCH OFFSET WIDTH
#--------------------------------------------------------------------CONT
drawing
CONT
CUT
POLY2
drawing
POLY2
MASTERSLICE
POLY
drawing
POLY
MASTERSLICE
PDIF
drawing
PDIF
MASTERSLICE
MET1
drawing
MET1
ROUTING HORIZONTAL 1.250 -0.500
VIA1
drawing
VIA1
CUT
MET2
drawing
MET2
ROUTING VERTICAL
1.400 -0.600
VIA2
drawing
VIA2
CUT
MET3
drawing
MET3
ROUTING HORIZONTAL 1.300 -0.600
VIA3
drawing
VIA3
CUT
MET4
drawing
MET4
ROUTING VERTICAL
1.300 -0.600
OVERLAP drawing
OVERLAP
OVERLAP

Since initializing the information is a difficult job, Laker provides a utility, LefIn, with the
-GenLefInfo option to parse the layers used in the LEF file, and also generates the
information file with the filename giving by the -info infoFile option. Refer to the LefIn
utility in the Laker Command Reference Manual for more details.
Since the leaf cell will use as less layer as possible to reduce the wafer processing cost,
extra routing layers need to be added manually in the generated information file for DEF
file importing.

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Quick Start: Lesson 2: Import LEF Design

Import LEF File into Laker

To import the LEF data into Laker and configure the settings for the importing job, follow
the steps below.
1. Invoke File -> Import -> LEF in the Main window. An Import LEF form appears
after the command is invoked.
2. In the Design File text field, specify the LEF file, CPU.lef.
In the Technology File text field, specify the technology file, <working dir>/
laker_demo.tf.
In the Library Name text field, specify the library name, cellLib.
In the Log/Error File text field, specify the filename (e.g. lefIn) for the log and error
files instead of using the default filenames, LefIn.log and LefIn.err. These files can be
found under the lakerLog directory.
In the Information File text field, specify the filename (e.g. CPU.inf) for the
information file.

Figure: Import LEF File

3. Use other default settings in the Import LEF form, and click OK to proceed.
All of the cells in the LEF file will be translated. These cells will be stored as the
abstract views instead of the layout views. The abstract view data does not include a
complete design information and it cannot be exported as the stream data for tape out
purposes.
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Quick Start: Lesson 2: Import LEF Design

A summary of the data conversion will be displayed in the message pane of the Main
window, as illustrated in the following figure.

Figure: Data Conversion Summary

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Quick Start: Lesson 3: Import DEF Design

Lesson 3: Import DEF Design

This lesson explains how to import a DEF data.
To import the DEF data into Laker and configure the settings for the importing job, follow
the steps below.
1. Invoke File -> Import -> DEF in the Main window. An Import DEF form appears
after the command is invoked.
2. In the Input File Name text field, specify the DEF file, CPU.def.
In the Technology File text field, specify the technology file, <working dir>/
laker_demo.tf.
In the Library Name text field, specify the library name, TOP.
In the Log/Error File text field, specify the filename (e.g. defIn) for the log and error
files instead of using the default filenames, DefIn.log and DefIn.err. These files can be
found under the lakerLog directory.
In the Information File text field, specify the filename (e.g. CPU.inf) for the
information file.

Figure: Import DEF File

3. Use other default settings in the Import DEF form, and click OK to proceed.
During the import process, all valid Laker libraries will be searched to find the master
cell name with abstract views. If the abstract views cannot be found in the libraries,
the layout views will be the second priority. If both the abstract and layout views are
not found in the libraries, the master cells will be treated as undefined cells.
A summary of the data conversion will be displayed in the message pane of the Main
window, as illustrated in the following figure.

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Quick Start: Lesson 3: Import DEF Design

Figure: Data Conversion Summary

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Quick Start: Lesson 4: Open the Design

Lesson 4: Open the Design

If you have completed Lesson 1 to Lesson 3, you created three Laker libraries: CPU,
cellLib and TOP. In this lesson, we will try to open different designs from the CPU and
TOP libraries.

Open a Stream Design

Follow the steps below to open the design imported from the GDSII stream file.
1. Invoke File -> Open in the Main window. An Open Cell form appears after the
command is invoked.
2. In the Open Cell form, select the CPU library and the CPU cell, and click OK.

Figure: Select CPU Cell from CPU Library

3. The CPU cell is then loaded in the Layout window. With the Laker Viewer license, the
opening cell is always set to Read Only mode. You may find that most of the editing
toolbar buttons are not available in the Layout window.

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Quick Start: Lesson 4: Open the Design

Figure: CPU Cell is Loaded in Layout Window

4. The initial loaded layout is displayed at the minimum view level (level=0). Lets try to
use the zooming feature to get a close-up view of the specific area and see the view
level.
First, use the bind key z to invoke the Area Zoom command. Next, left-click to insert
the first point, and then move your mouse cursor. Finally, left-click to insert the last
point to finish drawing a rectangular box on a layout area to enlarge the view.

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Quick Start: Lesson 4: Open the Design

Figure: Drag-left to Invoke Area Zoom Command

5. The zoomed area is displayed at the minimum view level, as illustrated in the
following figure.

Figure: Layout at Minimum View Level

6. Press Shift+f to change the view level to the maximum level (level=49). You will see
every detail of the layout design in the Layout window pane.

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Quick Start: Lesson 4: Open the Design

Figure: Layout at Maximum View Level

7. To close the Layout window, select Cell -> Close.

Open DEF Design

Lets open the design imported from the DEF file and see the difference between Import
Stream and Import DEF. Follow the steps below to open the design imported from the DEF
file.
1. Invoke File -> Open in the Main window. An Open Cell form appears after the
command is invoked.
2. In the Open Cell form, select the TOP library and the CPU cell, and click OK.

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Quick Start: Lesson 4: Open the Design

Figure: Select CPU Cell from TOP Library

3. The CPU cell is then loaded in the Layout window.

Figure: CPU Cell is Loaded in Layout Window

4. The layout is displayed at the minimum view level (level=0). Lets try to use the Area
Zoom feature to get a close-up view of the specific area and see the view level.
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Quick Start: Lesson 4: Open the Design

Figure: DEF Design with Minimum View Level

5. In this case, we map the master cell to the LEF-In data, we just see the cell abstract
data, as illustrated in the following, instead of the complete layout data.

Figure: DEF Design with Abstract Cell Data from LEF File

If you import the stream file and LEF file of all leaf cells, you can select View ->
View Instance to switch the display view name between the layout and abstract
views.
6. To close the Layout window, select Cell -> Close.

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Quick Start: Lesson 5: Understand the Design

Lesson 5: Understand the Design

This lesson explains how to use the Highlight Net and Hierarchical Net Tracer functions
to understand the layout data.

Highlight Net
Layout designers can invoke Query -> Highlight Net in the Layout window to get the
Highlight Net form.
All net names in the opened cell are extracted from Laker database and listed in the Net
Name list pane.
You can directly enter the desired net name in the Net Name text field and click the Apply
button to see the whole routing topology.

Figure: Enter Desired Net Name in the Highlight Net Form

To query the net name, simply move your mouse cursor onto the net in the layout. The
corresponding net name will be shown in a yellow tip window.

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Quick Start: Lesson 5: Understand the Design

Figure: Highlight Net Result with Tip for Net Name Reporting

To see the hierarchical instance name instead of the master cell name, change the display
setting of the cell name by choosing Instance Cell Name in the Options -> Preference > Display tab of the Main window.

Figure: Preference Setting for Display of Cell Name

Figure: Show Instance Name on Layout Pane

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Quick Start: Lesson 5: Understand the Design

Hierarchical Net Tracer

Before utilizing this hierarchical net tracer, the tfLayoutConnection section must be defined
in the technology file that you use during the import of the stream or LEF/DEF designs.
Layout designers can invoke Query -> Hierarchical Net Tracer to invoke the Hierarchical
Net Tracer function. After the command is invoked, press F3 to get the Hierarchical Net
Tracer form.

Figure: Hierarchical Net Tracer Form

Click a desired polygon shape in the layout to perform the tracing job. Ten different colors
are cyclic used to highlight the traced results.

Figure: Click a Polygon Shape and Trace the Net

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Quick Start: Lesson 5: Understand the Design

The net information will be displayed in the message pane of the Main window.

Figure: Tracing Report in the Message Pane

If the hierarchical net tracer cannot finish the tracing job, Laker will show a progress bar
on the screen and allow the user to click the STOP button to terminate the tracing job.

Figure: Click STOP to Terminate Tracing Job

Laker does not provide the incremental hierarchical net tracing function. The terminated
results cannot be reused for the next tracing.

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UDD Tutorial: Before You Start

UDD Tutorial
Before You Start
Create a New UDD in the Main Window
1. Invoke Cell -> UDD -> New UDD from the Main window to start creating a new
UDD.
2. Choose a destination library, and then type a new device name in the Cell Name text
field.
3. Click OK to confirm the creation of new UDD, which is created with device view.
4. Open this new UDD by selecting File -> Open from the Main window.
5. Go to the relative library and open the UDD by double-clicking on it.

Open the UDD in the Design Window

In the Design window, you may start designating the parameters to be applied to the shapes
in your design by using the toolbar icons or commands from UDD pull-down menu. But,
because the aim of this chapter is not to explain the details of them, only brief description
is introduced here.

Toolbar Icons
A set of frequently used commands is collected in the toolbar. Most of them are for defining
procedure statements, and three of them (Rule Finder, Preview, and Debug) are
accessories.
Align
Distance
Parameter

Attribute
Copy
Fill

Procedure Script
Operation Script
Reported Distance
Return Value
Remove

Boolean
Debug
Preview
Rule Finder
Cut Corner

Figure: Toolbar Icons for UDD Creation

Procedures are categorized into:

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

Default Procedure: Each default procedure is evaluated independently.

Sequential Procedure: The order of sequential procedures regulates the final result.
The Copy, Fill, Boolean and Remove procedures belong to this type.

UDD Pull-down Menu

This menu, as shown in the following figure, consists of a collection of non-frequently used
commands.

Figure: UDD Pull-down Menu

Creating a User-defined Device

This section shows you how to create user-defined devices (UDDs) with parameterized
procedures, which contain procedure statements to control the size, shape, or contents of a
cell instance.
In this tutorial, you will be

Importing UDD Layout

Creating Shapes and Evaluating Constraints
Correcting the UDD
Saving the UDD

Importing UDD Layout

An UDD can be constructed by these valid objects:

Manhattan shapes, e.g. rectangles and polygons.

Instances, instance arrays, Tcl PCells, and UDDs.

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

Text labels.

Figure: Supported and Un-supported Objects

You may re-use existing UDD layout by importing UDD procedure script with the
Procedure Script button on the toolbar. Then, evaluate the constraints to fit your design
needs.
Alternatively, you may create a brand new UDD layout with valid objects and constraints.

Creating Shapes and Evaluating Constraints

In this tutorial, we will create a transistor-like UDD, as shown in the following figure.

Figure: Transistor-like UDD

To do so, follow the steps below.

1. In the layout window, draw a contact device and a few simple rectangles to form the
elements of transistor, as shown in the following figure.

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

Figure: Create Necessary Objects for UDD

2. Next, assign parameterized constraints to the shapes. In this tutorial, well define the
procedures by this order: Distance > Align > Fill > Align > Align > Remove.
3. Click the Distance button to insert a Distance procedure. The length of transistor gate
is defined as 2 and the width is 5, as shown in the following figure.

Figure: Distance Procedure

4. Click the Align button to add the first Align procedure, and define four align
constraints, a1, a2, a3, and a4, as follows.

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

Figure: Align Procedure

5. Click the Fill button to insert a Fill procedure. You may select a fill region for
insertion, and also define the fill constraints in Instance Setting group box.

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

Figure: Fill Procedure

6. Click the Align button to add the second Align procedure, and define four align
constraints, q1, q2, q3, and q4, as follows.

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

Figure: Align Procedure

7. Click the Align button again to add the third Align procedure, and define four align
constraints, z1, z2, z3, and z4, as follows.

Figure: Align Procedure

8. Click the Remove button to remove the unnecessary contact shape.

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

Figure: Remove Procedure

Now, we have finished defining all design constraints.

Correcting the UDD

Lets check if these design constraints meet our requirements. To do so,
1. Click the Preview button and youll see the following result.

Obviously, this part doesnt

meet the design requirement.

Figure: Preview UDD

2. Obviously, the left part of the transistor doesnt not meet our needs. To fine-tune this
part, we have to find out which procedure it belongs to.
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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

3. Select the topmost edge of metal area in the layout window and then click the Rule
Finder button to find out the constraint. The Rule Finder form appears and the
associated preview result will also be highlighted if the Highlight Object on Preview
Area option is turned on.

Figure: Rule Finder

4. Next, click-left on the q1 constraint. Its belonging procedure will appear in the Rule
Finder form. Double-click Proc_3, it will bring you to q1s setting box, so that you can
quickly locate the constraint q1 and all its associated information, as illustrated in the
dotted circles below.

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

Figure: q1 and all its associated information

5. Change q1s spacing from 0.8 to 0.3, and then hit Enter.
6. Close the Rule Finder form, and click the Preview button again.
7. The result is illustrated as follows.

Done!

Figure: Preview Result after Correction

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

Saving the UDD

1. To save the UDD, select Cell -> Save.
2. Choose Cell -> Close to close the design.

Summary
In this tutorial, you have learned how to create and modify UDDs. Specifically, you

Created shapes and evaluated constraints.

Corrected the UDD.
Saved the UDD.

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UDD Tutorial: Creating a User-defined Device

74 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

Spare Cell Management: Overview

Spare Cell Management

Overview
This lesson explains how to use the Spare Cell function to collect the spare cell information
in the stream or LEF/DEF design and also explains how to find the space cells in the Layout
window.

How to Use It
This lesson will use the stream design as the example. Lets open the CPU cell, that you
have used in the Quick Start chapter, from the CPU library.
Invoke Query -> Spare Cell to open the Spare Cell form.

Figure: Spare Cell Form

If you have the list of pre-defined spare cells, click the Load button and import into this
form.
You may click Add button to add the spare cell in the form.

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Spare Cell Management: How to Use It

Figure: Add Spare Cell Form

In this case, the instance names for these spare cells own the keyword, SPARE. Let's use
the regular expression style to search in the Laker database. If you don't specify the group
name in the Group text field, Laker will automatically create the group with the default
name, Spare_Cell.

Figure: Spare Cell List with Search Result

Here, you can choose to show the list by Group or by Cell. Let's list the spare cells by Cell.
Click the Cell button to change the Group By option.

Figure: Group By Cell

To highlight the spare cells in the layout pane, simply click the Cell group to highlight the
whole spare cell group or click a single spare cell to highlight the single spare cell.
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Spare Cell Management: How to Use It

Figure: Highlight Spare Cells in Layout Pane

To expand the spare cell group, simply click the plus icon.

Figure: Expand Spare Cell Group

To store the above spare cell information, click the Save button, give a desired cell name
and click the OK button to create a file with the spare cell list information.

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Spare Cell Management: How to Use It

78 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

Novas nECO Integration: Overview

Novas nECO Integration

Overview
This chapter describes the details on how Laker works together with the VerdiTM
Automated Debug System and related nECOTM Automated Netlist Modification module
and performs the ECO function.
Refer to the Verdi Command Reference Manual or nECO User's Guide and Tutorial and
other related documentation for further Verdi and nECO operations.

Figure: Novas/Debussy Product

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Novas nECO Integration: Drag-and-Drop Operation

Drag-and-Drop Operation
The drag-and-drop operation is the basic X window mouse operation. The Verdi system
uses this mouse operation to integrate its components (nWave, nTrace, nState, nSchema
and nECO) by single mouse click and to share selected data.
Laker uses the same mouse operation and works together with the Verdi system.
This integration will focus on the gate-level HDL design with post P&R physical layout
database from the LEF/DEF or the stream GDSII data. The RTL design with physical
layout database is not included in this integration flow.
The basic flow for the drag-and-drop operation is as follows:
1. Select the desired objects on the active window, which can be the Eco window or the
Laker Layout window.
2. Drag the objects from the active window.
3. Drop the objects to the target window.
4. Change the zoom ratio and highlight the correspondent objects on the target window.

Figure: Drag-and-Drop Operation

The drag-and-drop operation is designed for sharing knowledge between selected objects.
In this integration, the complete design hierarchy of the selected objects are packed and
passed from active window to target window. This means the drag-and-drop action does not
work well if the design hierarchy between active and target windows is different.
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Novas nECO Integration: Drag-and-Drop Operation

Let's see the difference of design hierarchies in the physical layout.

Through the Highlight Net function, the logical net name and instance name will be shown
on the screen in a yellow tip window. The following two figures show the same net name
on the net in different segments (in different layers). The hierarchical net name is: I_ALUB/
Y0[2].

This net is driven by the ZN port of I_ALUB/U254 instance and it drives 7 instances. The partial
DEF information is shown as follows:

Figure: Partial Net Section of I_ALUB/Y0[2] Net

Let's see how the Verdi system keeps the logical hierarchical path of the same net.
Click the i_ALUB instance in the design tree window and find the net name, Y0[2], in the
source code window. Find the U254 instance and make sure that the ZN port drives the Y0[2]
net. It is an OAI21D0 cell.

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Novas nECO Integration: Drag-and-Drop Operation

Figure: nTrace Window with Search Result for Y0[2] Net

Select the U254 instance and invoke the nECO window to show this instance as follows:

Figure: nECO Window with Selected Net, \Y0[2]

The full design hierarchical net name for the net \Y0[2] is CPU.i_ALUB.\Y0[2].
To integrate the verification and layout tools, the following problems need to be addressed:

Top cell name

Special characters in the Verdi side and the Laker side
Hierarchical delimiter character
Performance issue for the database traversing and highlighting

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Novas nECO Integration: Drag-and-Drop Operation

Figure: nECO Window with Selected Instance, U254

Synopsys makes the following information consistent in both the Laker and Verdi/nECO
sides:

In Laker, the cell name of the Layout window is also a part of the design hierarchy.
In this case, the i_ALUB/Y0[2] net under the CPU cell is packed as a complete design
hierarchy, CPU/I_ALUB/Y0[2], in Laker.
Drag this net from Laker and drop to Verdi/nECO.
The Verdi system parses the hierarchy tree and gets the tokens as design hierarchy
CPU.i_ALUB, and the net name \Y0[2].
The complete design hierarchy of the same net in Verdi/nECO is CPU.i_ALUB.\Y0[2].
The search engine in the Verdi system tries to find this net and shows it on the nECO
window if the net exists.
The complete integration flow is illustrated as follows.

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Novas nECO Integration: Drag-and-Drop Operation

Figure: Laker/nECO Co-work Flow

To do the ECO job on front-end gate-level netlist, the IC designer can easily find the right
spare cells to meet the timing constraints with less effort.
A README file is provided to guide you through the flow to build the environment for
Verdi/nECO and the procedures to go through the Laker/nECO integration. You may get
the file (nECO_Laker.txt) under your working directory.
NOTE: The symbol library used in this demo case is built with Verdi 5.2. Please change

the symbol library to meet your current Verdi version. If you have any symbol
library related problem, please contact your local support team for assistance.

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Appendix A: CDL Syntax: Overview

Appendix A: CDL Syntax

Overview
This appendix describes the format of CDL syntax supported in Laker with the following
sections:

Commands
Circuit Elements
Others

Commands
The control commands include the following:

.END
.ENDS
.GLOBAL
.INCLUDE
.MODEL
.OPTIONS
.PARAM
.SUBCKT
*.FLAT
*.PININFO
*.REVERSE

.END
The .END line specifies the last statement in the netlist file. The period (.) is an integral part
of the name.

Syntax
.END

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.ENDS
The .ENDS line specifies the last statement for any subcircuit definition. <subname> is the
subcircuit name that indicates the subcircuit definition to be terminated.

Syntax
.ENDS <subname>

or
.EOM <subname>

where .EOM is equivalent to .ENDS.

.GLOBAL
The .GLOBAL line assigns a global signal.

Syntax
.GLOBAL node<:nodetype> ....

or
*.GLOBAL node<:nodetype> ....

where nodetype can be P or G (P:Power, G:ground). The default power signal is VDD and VCC;
and the default ground signal is VSS, GND and 0.
*.GLOBAL

is equivalent to .GLOBAL.

.INCLUDE
Generally, portions of the circuit descriptions will be reused in several files, particularly
with common models and subcircuits. In any netlist file, the .INCLUDE line is used to include
another netlist file.
.INC

is equivalent to .INCLUDE.

Syntax
.INCLUDE filename

or
.INCLUDE '<filepath>/filename'

or
.INCLUDE "<filepath>/filename"

or
.INC filename

or
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Appendix A: CDL Syntax: Commands

.INC '<filepath>/filename'

or
.INC "<filepath>/filename"

Examples
.INCLUDE /user/test.sp
.INCLUDE '/user/test.sp'
.INCLUDE "/user test.sp"

.MODEL
The .MODEL line defines a set of device model parameters on a seperate line and assign it
with a unique model name. The device element lines refer to the model name. Each device
element line contains the device name, the nodes to which the device is connected, and the
device model name.

Syntax
.MODEL mname type <VERSION=VERSION_NUM> <parname1=val1 parname2=val2 ...>

or
.MODEL mname type ( <VERSION=VERSION_NUM> <parname1=val1 parname2=val2
...> )

where mname is the model name, and the type is one of the following:
C : Capacitor model
D : Diode model
L : Inductor model
NMOS : N-channel MOSFET model
NPN : NPN BJT modle
PMOS : P-channel MOSFET model
PNP : PNP BJT model
R : Resistor model
Parameter values are defined by appending the parameter name followed by an equal sign
(=) and the parameter value.

.OPTIONS
The .OPTIONS line allows users to reset program control and user options for specific
simulation purposes.

Syntax
.OPTIONS SCALE=scale DEFW=defw DEFL=defl ....
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Appendix A: CDL Syntax: Commands

or
.OPTION SCALE=scale DEFW=defw DEFL=defl ....

where DEFW is the default value of MOS channel width. If DEFW is not assigned, the DEFW is
100u. DEFL is the default value of MOS channel length. If DEFL is not assigned, the DEFL is
100u. scale sets the multiplier value for the width and length of elements M, Q, R, C and D.

.PARAM
The .PARAM line specifies a parameter. If you don't use an apostrophe (') for expression, the
blank is not allowed in the expression.

Syntax I
.PARAM parname='value|expression'

or
.PARAM parname=value|expression

Example I
.PARAM A=100 B='A+2*3'

Syntax II
.PARAM funcname(argv1,...)='expression'

or
.PARAM funcname(argv1,...)=expression

Example II
.PARAM f(x,y)='x*y+2*x+3*y' g(x,y)=x*y+2

.SUBCKT
The .SUBCKT line specifies the first statement in the netlist file. The period (.) is an integral
part of the name.

Syntax
.SUBCKT outputNode .... </> inputNode .... <parname=value> ....

or
.MACRO outputNode .... </> inputNode .... <parname=value> ....

where .SUBCKT and .MACRO are equivalent.

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*.FLAT
Syntax
*.FLAT

or
*.FLAT STOP=subname1 subname2 subname3

or
*.FLAT LEVEL=level

where
*.FLAT

will flatten all hierarchies from the top subckt;

*.FLAT STOP

will flatten all hierarchies from the subckt exclusive;

*.FLAT LEVEL

will flatten to the assigned layer from the subckt;

*.FLAT STOP=NAND NOR INV

*.FLAT LEVEL=3

will flatten all hierarchies but stop in the subckt NAND, NOR, and INV;

will flatten three layers from the top.

*.PININFO
The *.PININFO line assigns the pin direction.

Syntax
*.PININFO node1:pinType node2:pinType .....

where pinType can be the one of the folowing:

B: Input/Output
I: Input
O: Output
During CDLIn conversion, *.pininfo xxx:p can be recognized as .global
*.pininfo xxx:g can be recognized as .global xxx:g.

xxx:p

while

During CDLOut conversion, the port direction (input, output, inout) in *.pininfo can be
exported. For example:
*.pininfo X:I Y:O Z:B

(I:Input

O:Output

B:InOut)

Example
.SUBCKT INV Z A
*.PININFO Z:O A:I
$subcircuit contents
.ENDS

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Appendix A: CDL Syntax: Commands

*.REVERSE
The *.REVERSE line swaps the width and length of MOS channel.
If you use *.REVERSE, the syntax is as follows.
Mxxx md ng ns <nb> mname <l <w>> <other options>
*.REVERSE

has no effect if you specify W= and L= in MOSFET statement.

Without *.REVERSE
M1 1 2 3 VDD PMOS 2u 4u , where width=2u length=4u

With *.REVERSE
M1 1 2 3 VDD PMOS 2u 4u , where width=4u length=2u

Example
*.REVERSE
.SUBCKT INV OP A
M0 OP A VSS VSS nmos 0.5u 2u
M1 OP A VDD VDD pmos 0.5u 2u
.ENDS

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Appendix A: CDL Syntax: Commands

Circuit Elements
The circuit elements include the following:

MOSFET
BJT
Resistor
Capacitor
Inductor
Diode
Subcircuit Call

MOSFET
Syntax
Mxxx md ng ns <nb> mname <W=w> <L=l> <M=multiplier> .... <$LDD[type]>
<$SKIPPREFIX> <$GROUP=name:<purpose>:<pattern>>

or
Mxxx md ng ns <nb> mname <w <l>> <other options>

where md, ng, and ns are the drain, gate, and source nodes, respectively. <nb> is the optional
bulk substrate nodes. mname is the model name. L and W are the channel length and width. M
is the multiply factor.
$SKIPPREFIX
$GROUP

ignores the first character of the element name.

defines the group name, group purpose and pattern name.

In addition, the model name will be removed if $LDD exists. The rule is follows:
With $LDD:
If mname (or type) starts with N or n:

LDDN

If mname (or type) starts with P or p:

LDDP

If mname (or type) starts with E or e:

LDDE

If mname (or type) starts with D or d:

LDDD

Otherwise: LDD

Example
$ create element name ABC for MABC.
MABC VDD A O VDD PMOS W=2u L=2u $SKIPPREFIX

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$ show group name (Mch3) in the design hierarchy browser
mm14 n1n77 n1n77 vdd vdd p l=4u w=12u m=4 $group=Mch3:match
$ A mosfet M1 with drain, gate, source and bulk connected to
$ node A, B, C and D; and the width and length of the gate are
$ given as 1 and 2 microns.
M1 A B C D NMOS W=1u L=2u
$ The model name should be LDDN
MI1 n1 n2 n3 n4 N L=4U W=10U AS=14P AD=115.2P PS=22.8U PD=46.4U M=1 $LDD
$ The modle name should be LDD[NKA]
MI1 n1 n2 n3 n4 N L=4U W=10U AS=14P AD=115.2P PS=22.8U PD=46.4U $LDD[NKA]

BJT
Syntax
Qxxx nc nb ne <ns> mname <AREA=area> <M=multiplier> .... <$EA=value> <$W=w>
<$L=l> <$SKIPPREFIX> <$GROUP=name:<purpose>:<pattern>>

or
Qxxx nc nb ne <ns> mname <area> <other options>

where nc, nb, and ne are the collector, base, and emitter nodes, respectively. <ns> is the
optional substrate node. mname is the model name. AREA is the area factor, which determines
the number of equivalent parallel devices of a specified model. $L and $W are the channel
length and width. M is the multiply factor.
$SKIPPREFIX
$GROUP

ignores the first character of the element name.

defines the group name, group purpose and pattern name.

Example
$ A bipolar Q1 with collector, base, emitter and substrate
$ connected to node A, B, C and D; and emitter area is 100.
Q1 A B C D PNP area=100

Resistor
Syntax
Rxxx n1 n2 <mname> <R=r> <TC1=tc1> <TC2=tc2> <SCALE=scale> <M=multiplier>
.... <$SUB=substrate> <$[mname]|$.MODEL=mname> <$W=w> <$L=l> <$NS=ns>
<$SEGMENT=ns> <$SKIPPREFIX> <$GROUP=name:<purpose>:<pattern>>

or
Rxxx n1 n2 <mname> <R=r> <TC1=tc1> <TC2=tc2> <W=w> <L=l> <SCALE=scale>
<M=multiplier> .... <$SUB=substrate> <$[mname]|$.MODEL=mname> <$NS=ns>
<$SEGMENT=ns> <$SKIPPREFIX> <$GROUP=name:<purpose>:<pattern>>

or
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Rxxx n1 n2 <mname> <r <tc1 <tc2>>> <other options>

where n1 and n2 are the two element nodes. mname is the model name. R is the resistance. TC1
and TC2 are the first and second order temperature coeffs, respectively. L/$L and W/$W are the
channel length and width. SCALE is the scale factor. M is the multiply factor.
$W

is the Wiegth of Resistor.

$L

is the length of Resistor.

$SUB
$NS

is the substrate of Resistor.

or $SEGMENT is the segment number of Resistor.

$SKIPPREFIX
$GROUP

ignores the first character of the element name.

defines the group name, group purpose and pattern name.

Example
$ A resistor R1 is connected to node A and node B with
$ a resistance of 100 ohms.
R1 A B RES R=100
R2 C D RES $W=1u $L=50u $NS=5 $sub=vdd $group=mch_R:match:ABABABABAB
R3 E F RES $W=1u $L=50u $NS=5 $sub=vdd $group=mch_R:match:ABABABABAB

Capacitor
Syntax
Cxxx n1 n2 <mname> <C=c> <TC1=tc1> <TC2=tc2> <W=w> <L=l> <SCALE=scale>
<M=multiplier> .... <$SUB=substrate> <$[mname]|$.MODEL=mname> <$W=w>
<$L=l> <$SKIPPREFIX> <$GROUP=name:<purpose>:<pattern>>

or
Cxxx n1 n2 <mname> <c <tc1 <tc2>>> <other options>

where n1 and n2 are the two element nodes. mname is the model name. C is the capacitance.
TC1 and TC2 are the first and second order temperature coeffs, respectively. L and W are the
channel length and width. SCALE is the scale factor. M is the multiply factor.
$W

is the Wiegth of Capacitor.

$L

is the length of Capacitor.

$SUB

is the substrate of Resistor.

$SKIPPREFIX
$GROUP

ignores the first character of the element name.

defines the group name, group purpose and pattern name.

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Appendix A: CDL Syntax: Commands

Example
$ A capacitor C1 is connected to node A and B with
$ a capacitance of 100 Pico farads.
C1 A B CAP C=100p
C2 C D CAP C=100p $W=20u $L=20u $sub=vdd $group=mch_cap:match:ABCCBA
C3 C D CAP C=100p $W=20u $L=20u $sub=vdd $group=mch_cap:match:ABCCBA

Inductor
Syntax
Lxxx n1 n2 <mname> <L=inductance> <TC1=tc1> <TC2=tc2> <SCALE=scale>
<M=multiplier> .... <$SUB=substrate> <$SKIPPREFIX>
<$GROUP=name:<purpose>:<pattern>>

or
Lxxx n1 n2 <mname> <inductance <tc1 <tc2>>> <other options>

where n1 and n2 are the two element nodes. mname is the model name. L is the inductance.
TC1 and TC2 are the first and second order temperature coeffs, respectively. SCALE is the scale
factor. M is the multiply factor.
$SKIPPREFIX
$GROUP

ignores the first character of the element name.

defines the group name, group purpose and pattern name.

Example
$ An inductor L1 is connected to node A and node B with
$ an inductance of 1 micro-henries.
L1 A B L=1u

Diode
Syntax
Dxxx positive minus mname <AREA=area> <PJ=pj> <W=w> <L=l> <M=multiplier>
.... <$SUB=substrate> <$SKIPPREFIX> <$GROUP=name:<purpose>:<pattern>>

or
Dxxx positive minus mname <area <pj>> <other options>

where positive and minus are the positive and negative nodes, respectively. mname is the
model name. L is the inductance. AREA is the area factor. L and W are the channel length and
width. M is the multiply factor.
$SKIPPREFIX
$GROUP

ignores the first character of the element name.

defines the group name, group purpose and pattern name.

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Appendix A: CDL Syntax: Commands

Example
$ An inductor D1 is connected to node A and node B;
$ and the area is 100.
D1 A B DIODE AREA=100

Subcircuit Call
Subcircuit is used by specifying pseudo-element beginning with the letter X, followed by
the circuit nodes to be used in expanding the subcircuit.

Syntax
Xxxx name.... </> subname <M=multiplier> <parname=value> ... <$SKIPPREFIX>
<$GROUP=name:<purpose>:<pattern>>

or
Xxxx subname <M=multiplier> $PINS pin=node .... <$SKIPPREFIX>
<$GROUP=name:<purpose>:<pattern>>

where subname is the subcircuit name, and $PINS is used to make the subcircuit call to map
node by name (by default, it is mapped by position).
$SKIPPREFIX
$GROUP

ignores the first character of the element name.

defines the group name, group purpose and pattern name.

Examples
.SUBCKT SSS A B C
$subcircuit contents
.ENDS

The following statements are equivalent.

X1 1 2 3 SSS
X1 SSS $PINS A=1 B=2 C=3

M Factor Expansion
If X-Type element with multiplier, the element is expanded according to the multiplier
value.

Examples
X1 A B C SSS M=4
$ We will expand X1 to X1::0, X1::1, X1::2 and X1::3.
X1::0 A B C SSS
X1::1 A B C SSS
X1::2 A B C SSS
X1::3 A B C SSS

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Subckt Expansion by Parameter Value

Expand the element according to the parameter value.

Examples
.SUBCKT NAND2 Z A B WN=1u
$subcircuit contents
.ENDS
X1 O I1 I2 NAND2 WN=2u
X2 O I1 I2 NAND2 WN=3u
X3 O I1 I2 NAND2 WN=4u
X4 O I1 I2 NAND2 WN=2u

Since X1, X2 and X3 pass different parameter value of WN to subkct NAND2, the subckt NAND2 is
expanded to NAND2_0 (for X1) , NAND2_1 (for X2) and NAND2_2 (for X3).
X1

and X4 have the same parameter value, X4 will use NAND2_0 as its master.

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Others
Others supported syntax format:

Built-in Functions
Scale Factor
Comment

Built-In Functions
sin(x): sine
cos(x): cosine
tan(x): tangent
asin(x): arc sine
acos(x): arc cosine
atan(x): arc tangent
sinh(x): hyperbolic sine
cosh(x): hyperbolic cosine
tanh(x): hyperbolic tangent
abs(x): absolution value. return |x|.
sqrt(x): square root. return (sign of x)sqrt(|x|).
pow(x,y): absolute power. return x^int(y).
pwr(x,y): signed power. return (sing of x)|x|^y.
log(x): natural logarithm. return (sign of x)log(|x|).
log10(x): base 10 logarithm. return (sign of x)log10(|x|).
exp(x): exponential.
db(x): decibels. return (sign of x)20log10(|x|).
int(x): integer. return the integer portion of x.
sgn(x): return sign. return -1 if x<0. return 0 if x=0. return 1 if x>0.
sign(x,y): transfer sign. return (sign of y)|x|.
min(x,y): smaller of two args.
max(x,y): larger of two args.
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Appendix A: CDL Syntax: Commands

Scale Factor
T

1E12

1E9

MEG 1E6
X

1E6

K 1E3
%

1E-2

1E-3

MIL 25.4E-6
U

1E-6

1E-9

1E-12

1E-15

Comment
Comment lines may be placed anywhere in the circuit description. The asterisk (*) is used
as the first non-blank character. The inline dollar sign ($) indicates that this line is a
comment statement.

Syntax
* <any comment>

or
$ <any comment>

Example
* This is a comment line
$ This is a comment line too.
R1 1 2 R=2
$ This is a resistor

In the comment line, you may also define a special parameter $segment for UDD device.
The parameter is saved into a parameter list with name $segment, which is case-insensitive
in the SPICE file. For example,
r1 A B 50 $segment=5

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The character $ is preserved for output the original spice format; and thus the parameter
name must be defined with comment character $. This makes it different from the
parameter segment.
If you want to map the parameter $segment to the parameter of parameterized device, you
must change its name as __segment. For example,
M pmos

Lib1 Pdevice

{} {set A [expr $L*1e+6]; set seg [expr $__segment*2]}

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Appendix B: LEF Syntax: Overview

Appendix B: LEF Syntax

Overview
This appendix documents the supported LEF v5.5 Syntax.

Supported LEF Syntax

VERSION number ;
NAMESCASESENSITIVE {ON | OFF} ;
[ UNITS
[DATABASE MICRONS LEFconvertFactor ;]
END UNITS]
{ LAYER (Nonrouting) statement | LAYER (Routing) statement } ...
# Cut Layer
LAYER layerName
TYPE CUT ;
END layerName
# Implant Layer
LAYER layerName
TYPE IMPLANT ;
[WIDTH minWidth ;]
END layerName
# Masterslice or Overlap Layer
LAYER layerName
TYPE {MASTERSLICE | OVERLAP} ;
END layerName
# Routing Layer
LAYER layerName
TYPE ROUTING ;
DIRECTION {HORIZONTAL | VERTICAL} ;
PITCH distance ;
WIDTH defWidth ;
[OFFSET distance ;]
END layerName
{ VIA viaName
[FOREIGN foreignCellName [pt [orient]];]
{LAYER layerName ;
{RECT pt pt ;} ...} ...
END viaName } ...
[ NONDEFAULTRULE rulename1
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Appendix B: LEF Syntax: Supported LEF Syntax

{LAYER layerName
WIDTH width ;
SPACING minSpacing ;
[WIREEXTENSION value ;]
[RESISTANCE RPERSQ value ;]
[CAPACITANCE CPERSQDIST value ;]
[EDGECAPACITANCE value ;]
END layerName} ...
{VIA viaStatement} ...
[SPACING
[SAMENET layerName layerName minSpace [STACK] ;] ...
END SPACING]
END] ...
{ MACRO macroName
[CLASS
{ COVER [BUMP]
| RING
| BLOCK [BLACKBOX]
| PAD [INPUT | OUTPUT |INOUT | POWER | SPACER | AREAIO]
| CORE [FEEDTHRU | TIEHIGH | TIELOW | SPACER | ANTENNACELL]
| ENDCAP {PRE | POST | TOPLEFT | TOPRIGHT | BOTTOMLEFT
| BOTTOMRIGHT}
}
;]
[FOREIGN foreignCellName [pt [orient]] ;]
[ORIGIN pt ;]
[SIZE width BY height ;]
[SYMMETRY {X | Y | R90} ... ;]
[SITE siteName ;]
[PIN pinName
[DIRECTION {INPUT | OUTPUT [TRISTATE] | INOUT | FEEDTHRU} ;]
{PORT
{ LAYER layerName
[WIDTH width ;]
{ PATH pt ... ;
| PATH ITERATE pt ... DO numX BY numY STEP spaceX spaceY ;
| RECT pt pt ;
| RECT ITERATE pt pt DO numX BY numY STEP spaceX spaceY ;
| POLYGON pt pt pt pt ... ;
| POLYGON ITERATE pt pt pt pt ... DO numX BY numY STEP spaceX spaceY
;
} ...
| VIA pt viaName ;
| VIA ITERATE pt viaName DO numX BY numY STEP spaceX spaceY ;
} ...
END} ...
END pinName] ...
[OBS
{ LAYER layerName [ [WIDTH width ;]
{ PATH pt ... ;
| PATH ITERATE pt ... DO numX BY numY STEP spaceX spaceY ;
| RECT pt pt ;
| RECT ITERATE pt pt DO numX BY numY STEP spaceX spaceY ;
| POLYGON pt pt pt pt ... ;
| POLYGON ITERATE pt pt pt pt ... DO numX BY numY STEP spaceX spaceY
;
} ...
| VIA pt viaName ;
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| VIA ITERATE pt viaName DO numX BY numY STEP spaceX spaceY
} ...
END] ...

END macroName } ...

END LIBRARY

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Appendix C: DEF Syntax: Overview

Appendix C: DEF Syntax

Overview
This appendix documents the supported DEF v5.5 Syntax.

Supported DEF Syntax

VERSION statement
NAMESCASESENSITIVE statement
DIVIDERCHAR statement
BUSBITCHARS statement
DESIGN statement
[ TECHNOLOGY statement ]
[ UNITS statement ]
[ HISTORY statement ]...
[ PROPERTYDEFINITIONS section ]
[ DIEAREA statement ]
[ ROWS statement ] ...
[ TRACKS statement ]...
[ GCELLGRID statement ]...
[ VIAS statement ]
[ REGIONS statement ]
COMPONENTS section
[ PINS section ]
[ PINPROPERTIES section ]
[ BLOCKAGES section ]
[ SLOTS section ]
[ FILLS section ]
[ SPECIALNETS section ]
NETS section
[ SCANCHAINS section ]
[ GROUPS section ]
[ BEGINEXT section ]
END DESIGN statement
================================
VERSION versionNumber ;
NAMESCASESENSITIVE {OFF | ON} ;
DIVIDERCHAR "character" ;
BUSBITCHARS "delimiterPair" ;
DESIGN designName ;
UNITS DISTANCE MICRONS DEFconvertFactor ;
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Appendix C: DEF Syntax: Supported DEF Syntax

PROPERTYDEFINITIONS
[objectType propName propType [RANGE min max] [value | stringValue]
;] ...
END PROPERTYDEFINITIONS
objectType =
{DESIGN | COMPONENT | NET | SPECIALNET | GROUP
| ROW |COMPONENTPIN | REGION}
propType =
{INTEGER | REAL | STRING}
DIEAREA pt pt;
ROW rowName rowType origX origY orient
{ DO numX BY 1 STEP spaceX 0
| DO 1 BY numY STEP 0 spaceY }
[+ PROPERTY {propName propVal}...]...;
TRACKS
{X | Y} start DO numTracks STEP space
LAYER layerName ;
GCELLGRID
{ X start DO numColumns+1 STEP space } ...
{ Y start DO numRows+1 STEP space ; }...
VIAS numVias ;
[- viaName
[+ RECT layerName pt pt]... ;]...
END VIAS
COMPONENTS numComps ;
[- compName modelName
[+ SOURCE {NETLIST | DIST | USER | TIMING}]
[+ FOREIGN foreignCellName pt orient]
[+ {FIXED pt orient | COVER pt orient | PLACED pt orient
| UNPLACED} ]
[+ PROPERTY {propName propVal} ...]...
;] ...
END COMPONENTS
PINS numPins ;
[ [- pinName + NET netName]
[+ SPECIAL]
[+ DIRECTION {INPUT | OUTPUT | INOUT | FEEDTHRU}]
[+ USE {SIGNAL | POWER | GROUND | CLOCK | TIEOFF |
ANALOG | SCAN | RESET}]
[+ LAYER layerName pt pt]
[+ COVER pt orient | FIXED pt orient | PLACED pt orient]
; ] ...
END PINS
PINPROPERTIES num;
[- {compName pinName | PIN pinName}
[+ PROPERTY {propName propVal} ...] ...
;] ...
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Appendix C: DEF Syntax: Supported DEF Syntax

END PINPROPERTIES]
BLOCKAGES numBlockages ;
[- LAYER layerName
[+ COMPONENT compName | + SLOTS | + FILLS | + PUSHDOWN]
{RECT pt pt} ...
;] ...
[- PLACEMENT
[+ COMPONENT compName | + PUSHDOWN]
{RECT pt pt} ...
;] ...
END BLOCKAGES
SPECIALNETS numNets ;
[- netName [ ( compNameRegExpr pinName ) ] ...
[+ WIDTH layerName width] ...
[specialWiring] ...
[+ SOURCE {DIST | NETLIST | TIMING | USER}]
[+ ORIGINAL netName]
[+ USE {ANALOG | CLOCK | GROUND | POWER | RESET
| SCAN | SIGNAL | TIEOFF}]
[+ PROPERTY {propName propVal} ...] ...
;] ...
END SPECIALNETS]
specialWiring=
{+ COVER | + FIXED | + ROUTED | + SHIELD shieldNetName}
layerName width
[+ SHAPE {RING | PADRING | BLOCKRING |
STRIPE | FOLLOWPIN| IOWIRE | COREWIRE
| BLOCKWIRE | BLOCKAGEWIRE | FILLWIRE}]
( x y )
{ ( x * ) | ( * y ) | viaName [DO numX BY numY STEP
stepX stepY]} ...
[NEW layerName width
[+ SHAPE {RING | PADRING | BLOCKRING
| STRIPE | FOLLOWPIN| IOWIRE | COREWIRE
| BLOCKWIRE | BLOCKAGEWIRE | FILLWIRE}]
( x y )
{ ( x * ) | ( * y ) | viaName [DO numX BY numY STEP
stepX stepY]} ...
] ...
NETS numNets ;
[- { netName
[ ( {compName pinName | PIN pinName} }
[+ SHIELDNET shieldNetName ] ...
[+ VPIN vpinName [LAYER layerName] pt pt
[+ NONDEFAULTRULE ruleName]
[regularWiring] ...
[+ SOURCE {DIST | NETLIST | TEST | TIMING | USER}]
[+ ORIGINAL netName]
[+ USE {ANALOG | CLOCK | GROUND | POWER | RESET | SCAN | SIGNAL
| TIEOFF}]
[+ PROPERTY {propName propVal} ...] ...
;] ...
END NETS
regularWiring =
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Appendix C: DEF Syntax: Supported DEF Syntax

{+ COVER | + FIXED | + ROUTED | + NOSHIELD}
layerName [TAPER | TAPERRULE ruleName] ( x y [value] )
{( x * [value] ) | ( * y [value] ) | ( * * [value] ) | viaName} ...
[NEW layerName [TAPER | TAPERRULE ruleName] ( x y [value] )
{( x * [value] ) | ( * y [value] ) | ( * * [value] ) | viaName} ...
] ...
SCANCHAINS numScanChains ;
[- chainName
[+ PARTITION partitionName [MAXBITS maxbits]]
[+ COMMONSCANPINS [ ( IN pin )] [( OUT pin ) ] ]
+ START {fixedInComp | PIN} [outPin]
+ FLOATING
{floatingComp [ ( IN pin ) ] [ ( OUT pin ) ] [ ( BITS numBits ) ]} ...
[+ ORDERED
{fixedComp [ ( IN pin ) ] [ ( OUT pin ) ] [ ( BITS numBits ) ]} ...
] ...
+ STOP {fixedOutComp | PIN} [inPin] ]
;] ...
END SCANCHAINS
END DESIGN designName

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Index

Index
A

AnyAngle 39

import DEF 51
import LEF 48, 49
import stream 46

C
CDL Syntax 85
Change Layer Order 26
content window 22
copy 37

D
design rules 32
design window 20
Diagonal 39
Display Ruler 34
Double-click 2
Drag-and-drop 2
Drag-left 2
Drag-right 2

L
L90XFirst 40
L90YFirst 40
Layer Color/Pattern 27
layer table 22
layout window 22
Left-click 2

M
magic key 36
main window 18
message pane 18

N
E
enclosure 33

notch 33
Novas nECO integration 79

FixAngle 39

Orthogonal 39
overlap 33

H
hierarchical net tracer 61
highlight net 59
Horizontal 40

P
platform 1
purpose name 25
Push-Wire 35

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Index

R
rebounding area 33
rebounding radius 34
rectangle 36
Resize Controller 25
Right-click 2
right-click command menu 16
Rule-driven 35
rule-driven 33
rule-driven editing 33, 34
Rule-driven Mode 32
Rule-driven Mode, Display Ruler 32
Rule-driven Mode, Push-Wire Mode 32

S
schematic window 22
scroll bar 25
Select 22
selectability 23, 26, 27
Selection Mode
Device Object 41
OBJ 41
V/E 41
Shift-left-click 2
Shift-right-click 2
snap mode 39
spacing 33
spare cell management 75
status bar 29
stretch 37

T
tfLayoutLayerRule 32
tutorial 45

U
UDD 64

110 Laker User Guide and Tutorial

understand design 59
user-defined device 64

V
Vertical 40
view level 38
visibility 23, 26, 27
Visible 22

W
width 33