Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

Using Calibre
Student Workbook

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION
Exercise 1: Invoke DESIGNREV
In this exercise you will invoke DESIGNrev from the command line,
load the palette, and load a GDSII design.
1. From a UNIX shell, change your directory to lab1.
cd <calibre_directory>/calbr/lab1
2. List the contents of the lab1 directory.
ls
You should see the following files:
golden_rules
lab1.gds
lab1_rules
lab1_runset.txt
layer_props.txt
If any of these files are missing, please double check that you are in
the correct directory, and then notify your instructor.
3. Launch DESIGNrev.
$MGC_HOME/bin/calibredrv
This will open the initial DESIGNrev window.
Now you will load the GSDII file.
4. Choose Menu: File > Open GDSII.
5. Select lab1.gds, by double-clicking.
This loads the layout design you will be using for the first parts of this
lab. Next you the load the layer properties file.
This file gives the various layers names (rather than just numbers)
and gives the layers their expected colors.
6. Load the layer properties.
(Menu: Layer > Load Layer Properties)
This opens the Load Layer Properties dialog box.
7. Select the layer_props.txt file.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

8. Choose OK to execute the dialog box.

This loads the layer properties.
The DESIGNrev window should look similar to below.

Exercise 2: Launch Calibre DRC and LVS Interactive

In this exercise you will launch Calibre DRC Interactive from within
DESIGNrev.
You will load a runset containing all the information required for a DRC run.
You will then review all the various menus and options available from
Calibre Interactive.Tool
1. From DESIGNrev, choose Menu: Tools > Calibre Interactive.
This opens the Calibre Interactive Server dialog box.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

The Calibre Interactive section determines which Calibre interactive tools

will be launched. In this class, we are only covering DRC and LVS.
The cell names are automatically filled-in from the cell selected in
DESIGNrev.
(It this case it is the top-level cell, since you did not select any thing.)
2. In the dialog box, select both DRC and LVS.
3. Leave the socket as the default number (unless the instructor tells you
otherwise).
4. Check that the cell names are both lab1.
5. Choose OK to execute the dialog box.
This launches both Calibre DRC and Calibre LVS.

Initially Calibre Interactive LVS asks you to choose a runset. A runset is a

default setting so you can have consistent settings between Calibre runs.
For LVS, you will not load a runset.
6. Choose New Runset in the Choose Runset File dialog box.
This will make the Calibre Interactive - LVS dialog box active. We will
spend a minute reviewing this window.
First, you will notice there are command buttons in three different colors
running down the left side of the dialog box. These are called Menu
buttons.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

Red Menu buttons display windows that do not have complete/valid

information. Green Menu buttons display windows with complete valid
information. Black Menu buttons perform an operation or their information
is optional.

7. Select the various Tabs and Menu buttons to review the types of options
available.
You will be told exactly were to look in the future, but this is just to
familiarize yourself with the basic layout of the tool.
8. Close the Calibre Interactive - LVS window (Menu: File > Exit).
The Calibre Interactive - DRC window and Choose Runset File dialog box
should now be displayed.
9. Choose New Runset.
10. Choose Menu: File > Open Runset.
11. Enter lab1_runset.txt in the Runset File Path text box.
The text should be green, indicating valid (existing) file.
12. Choose OK to execute the dialog box.
This will make the Calibre Interactive - DRC window active and load all
pre-set information into the dialog box. Inputs should be the active Menu
Button.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

You now have all the information loaded that is required for performing a
DRC run.
13. Choose Outputs.
This displays what information you want Calibre to output from this run
and what format you expect. Notice that RVE will start and the DRC report
will automatically display at the end of a DRC run.
14. Choose Transcript.
This window will display the transcript while Calibre DRC runs.
15. Choose Run DRC.
You may be asked to overwrite the lab1.gds file, choose OK to continue the
DRC run.
When the run completes, the Transcript window will look similar to below:

Notice the top complete of lines. They tell you that the DRC run completed
and the number of discrepancies found.
16. Spend a second scrolling through the transcript, taking note of the type
of information available.
17. Make the DRC Summary window active by selecting it.
This window displays the results of the DRC check in text format. In later
modules, you will cover how to read the report, for now you may what to

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

just skim the report to see the type of information available.

18. When you are finished viewing the report, close the report window.
(Choose Menu: File > Close.)
The other application launched at the end of the DRC run is Calibre RVE.
19. Go to the next exercise to learn the basics Calibre RVE.

Exercise 3: View a Discrepancy with Calibre RVE

In the exercise, you will learn how to use RVE to view discrepancies and
highlight them in the layout.
1. Make the RVE window active.

This window has pulldown Menus that are similar to any application.
It also has a Toolbar for the commands used most frequently. The icons
from left to right are:
oOpen Database
oErase Highlights
oHighlight Previous Discrepancy
oHighlight Current Discrepancy
oHighlight Next Discrepancy
oSet Highlight Zoom.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

The Results Viewing Area contains a tree structure of the DRC results.
To the right of the Results Viewing Area is Error Data Area. This area
provides the layout coordinates for the discrepancies. (Useful to manually
track the location in the layout.)
Below the Results Viewing Area is the Checktext Window. This area
display the information provided from the Rule File about the current
discrepancy.
2. Click on the + in the Cell lab1 - I Error in the Results viewing area.

This expands the errors tree to tell you which rule has the discrepancy.
What is the name of the rule with the discrepancy?

3. Click on the + for the rule.

What do you see now?

4. Click on the 01.

What do you see now?
In the Error Data Area: _________________________________
In the Checktext Window: ______________________________
This is the type of information you will find for each discrepancy.
5. Close the RVE window.
6. Go to the next exercise.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

Exercise 4: Get Help

In this exercise, you will learn the basics of where and how to find help on
the various Calibre applications you will be using in this class. There are
basically two types of Help documentation available for Calibre. Tool Tips
which just gives you a brief description of a particular button of field and
Manuals which will give you all the printed information available on a given
topic.
1. Make the Calibre Interactive - DRC window active again.
2. Choose Menu: Setup > Show Tool Tips.
(Make sure the selection box is highlighted.)
This enables Tool Tips.
When you place the cursor over a button or field that has a Tool Tip
available, after about 2 seconds a brief description of the button or the
required input displays.
3. Make the Input window active.
4. Display the Tool Tip for the Files field.
What is this Tool Tip?

5. Try the Tool Tip for the [ ...] button at the end of the Files field.
What is the Tool Tip?
____________________________________________________
You can leave the Tool Tips on or turn them off for the rest of the labs.
Now you will learn how to display the Help information in Manual format.
6. Choose Menu: Help > Open Bookcase.
This launches Adobe Acrobat and automatically loads the Calibre
Verification Bookcase.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

From this document you can find information on all the Calibre
applications. The top five items in the list are direct links to manuals
documenting the Calibre features we will use in this class. Just click on the
manuals name and the document will open in an Acrobat window.

Exercise 5: Experiment with DESIGNrev

In this exercise, you will learn how to perform some very simple operations
in Calibre DESIGNrev. There are multiple ways to perform any task in
DESIGNrev.
In this lab, most tasks will be done using the Toolbar or mouse button (RMB
or LMB) commands when ever possible.
In this exercise, nothing you are going to do is exacting. You are just to
experiment with the tool. You may view any area, select any polygon,
change or move any shape. All illustrations are just references to how your
layout might look. Anything you do in this exercise will have no bearing on
future labs.
1. Make the DESIGNrev window active.
2. Click on the Z All toolbar icon.
This display the whole design and places you at a good starting point.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

3. Displaying the contents of a cell:

a. Click on the + by lab1 in the Cells tree.
This expands to give the hierarchy list of all the cells in the lab1 cell.

b. Click on a1720 in the cell hierarchy list.

This jumps you into cell a1720, where you can both view and edit the
cells internal layout.
c. Click on lab1 in the cell hierarchy list to return to the full design.
4. Displaying lower/higher in the context:
a. Choose Menu: View > Viewer Depth Incr.
This displays the layout structures lower in the hierarchy. You cannot
edit the contents of cells at this level, but you can see the underlying
structure and avoid creating shorts, etc.
b. Choose Menu: View > Viewer Depth Decr.
This returns to only displaying the structures at the upper level of the
hierarchy.
5. Zooming Into an Area:
a. Hold down the right mouse button (RMB).
b. Draw a rectangle from upper left to lower right around the area you
want to display.
c. Release the RMB. When you release the mouse button, the
surrounding area zooms in to fill the display window.
6. Zooming Out of an Area:
a. Hold down the RMB.
b. Draw a rectangle from the lower right to the upper left, centering
around the area that you would like centered in the new display
c. Release the RMB.
The size of the rectangle will determine how far the display zooms out.
The smaller the rectangle, the more the display will zoom out.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

7. Centering the display:

a. Place the cursor over the area you want to be the new center of the
display.
b. Click the MMB.
(If you only have a two-button mouse, click both buttons at the same
time.)
The layout display re-centers itself around the new center.
8. Selecting Polygons:
a. Choose the Select icon from the Toolbar Menu.
(Make sure the Select icon is selected.)
b. Select any single item in the layout by clicking on it.
The selected polygon will highlight.
9. Unselecting polygon(s):
a. Choose the Select icon from the Toolbar Menu.
(Make sure the Select icon is selected.)
b. Click the LMB in an empty area of the layout.
The unselected polygon will loose its highlight.
10. Selecting more than one polygon:
a. Choose the Select icon from the Toolbar Menu.
(Make sure the Select icon is selected.)
b. Hold down the CTRL key and click the LMB on the desired
polygon. The selected polygon will highlight.
c. Repeat until you have selected all the desired polygons.
The selected polygons will highlight as they are selected.
11. Unselecting just one polygon from a group of selected polygons:
a. Choose the Select icon from the Toolbar Menu.
(Make sure the Select icon is selected.)
b.Hold down the CTRL key and click the LMB on the undesired
polygon. The unselected polygon will loose its highlight.
12. Moving Polygons:
a. Select the polygon(s).
b. Choose the Move icon from the Toolbar Menu.
c. Hold down the LMB.
d.Drag the polygon(s) to their new location.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

e. Release the LMB.

Notice that your polygon(s) are still selected after the move operation.
For the rest of the steps in this exercise, you may want to work in an empty
area of the layout.
13. Making a box:
a. Choose the Box icon from the Toolbar Menu.
b. Select the desired layer from the layer palette.
(The layer number highlights when selected.)
c. Click at a starting point for the box.

d. Click at the ending point. (Opposite diagonal)

14. Making a polygon:

a. Choose the Poly icon from the Toolbar Menu.
b. Select the desired layer from the layer palette.
(The layer number highlights when selected.)
c. Click at the starting point.
d. Click at each vertex.

15. Making a new vertex:

a. Select the polygon.
b. Choose the Vertex icon from the Toolbar Menu.
c. Click on the desired segment.
This highlights a segment of the polygon.
d. Double-click in the location for the new vertex.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

16. Change a shape by moving a segment (edge) of a polygon:

a. Unselect everything.
b. Set the Select Mode Options so only Edge is selected.
c. Select the Move icon from the Toolbar Menu.
d. Click the LMB on the desired edge.
The edge will highlight.
e. Hold down the mouse button.
f. Drag the segment to the new location.

g. Release the mouse button.

h. Type u to unselect the edge.
17. Notching in an existing shape:
a. Select the polygon.
b. Choose the Notch icon from the Toolbar Menu.
c. Hold down the mouse button and draw a rectangle from RIGHT TO
LEFT.

d. Release the mouse button.

e.Unselect everything.
18. Notching out an existing shape:
a. Select the polygon.
b. Choose the Notch icon from the Toolbar Menu.
c. Hold down the mouse button and draw a rectangle from LEFT TO
RIGHT.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

d. Release the mouse button.

This completes the first lab in this class.

19. Changing the Grid.
a. Choose Menu: Options > Grid Settings.
b. Change the grid spacing to 0.001.
c. Choose Apply.
d. Choose OK.
20. Changing the Ruler.
a. Choose Menu: Options > Ruler.
b. Select Manhattan.
c. Select Snap: Vertex/Edge.
This will cause the rule to snap to the edges and make it easier to
measure polygons. You may want to change it to snap to grids when
you are editing polygons to a certain size.
d. Choose Apply.
e. Choose OK.
21. Close all Calibre windows, so you will be ready for the next lab.
(Do not save any files.)
This is the end of this lab.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

MODULE 2: DRC
Introduction
Several of the procedural steps in this lab contain more simplified
instructions because you have performed similar steps in the first lab. New
procedures will be fully explained.
In this lab, you will you will again run a flat Calibre DRC verification of a
layout.
This time, Calibre DRC will find several results (errors). When the
verification completes, you will view the results by reading the ASCII DRC
Summary Report file and using Calibre RVE to highlight the error in a
layout tool.
After you find all the errors in the layout, you will correct at least one of the
errors, write a new GDSII file, run Calibre DRC on the new GDSII file, and
again check the results with Calibre RVE.
By doing this lab, you perform an entire iteration of checking a layout,
making corrections, and verifying the corrections.

Exercise : Setup and Run Calibre DRC

In this exercise you will set up a DRC run without help from a runset.
1. Make sure you are still logged in to the workstation.
2. Open a UNIX shell and change your directory to the location of the lab 3
training files as follows:
cd$HOME/using_calbr/lab3

3. List the contents of the lab3 directory.

You should see the three files:
lab3.gds
golden_rules
layer_props.txt
If any of these files are missing, please double check that you are in the
correct directory, and then notify your instructor.
4. Launch DESIGNrev.
$MGC_HOME/bin/calibredrv

Now you will load the GSDII file.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

5. Choose Menu: File > Open GDSII.

6. Select lab3.gds by double-clicking.
7. Load the layer properties file, layer_props.txt.
(Menu: Layer > Load Layer Properties)
8. Launch Calibre Interactive DRC on cell lab3.
a. Choose Menu: Tools > Calibre Interactive.
b. Select Calibre DRC.
c. Check that lab3 is entered in the Cell text box.
d. Choose OK to execute the dialog box.
This launches Calibre Interactive DRC, displaying the Choose Runset
dialog box.
In this lab you will create your own runset, and load all this information by
hand.
9. Choose New Runset in the Choose Runset dialog box.
This makes the Calibre Interactive DRC dialog box active with the Input
Menu button active.
Notice that the Layout file name is in red. You need to enter the correct
data.
10. Select Hierarchical.
11. Enter lab3.gds in the Files text box.
12. Unselect Import layout database from layout viewer.
13. Check the name of the Primary cell.
Is it lab3?
If not, correct it, so lab3 is in the primary cell text box.
You now have all the required inputs, time to load the rule information.
14. Choose the Rules Menu Button.
This displays the Rules information needed for a DRC run.
15. Enter golden_rules in the Calibre DRC Rules File text box.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

16. Make sure the text turns green, indicating this is an acceptable file.
17. Choose Load to load the Rules file.
18. Enter (or leave) . in the Calibre DRC Run Directory.
(Remove the quotes.)
This will place all the resulting files in the current directory,
$HOME/using_calbr/lab3.
19. Choose the Outputs Menu Button.
This displays the dialog box where you will set the names of the output
files.
20. Enter lab3.db as the DRC Results Database filename.
21. Select ASCII as its format.
22. Select Start RVE after DRC Finishes.
23. Select Write DRC Summary Report File.
24. Enter drc_report as the DCR Summary Report filename.
25. Select Replace File.
26. Select View summary report after DRC finishes.
In summary, you are creating files, lab3.db (the DRC Results Database) and
drc_report (the DRC Summary Report). You want RVE the start as soon as
the DRC run completes. You also want the DRC Summary Report to appear
in a text editor when DRC completes.
27. Choose the Transcript Menu Button.
This displays the Transcript during the DRC run. From here you can
quickly note any problems that may occur during the run.
28. Choose Run DRC to start the run.
You may get a message asking to overwrite the lab3.gds file, choose OK to
continue the run.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

When the run completes: RVE launches, the DRC Summary Report
displays and the Transcript Window should look similar to below.

You will analyze the results in the next exercise.

29. Go to the next exercise.

Exercise : Check the Results

In this exercise, you will review the error messages found in the transcript,
summary report, and RVE. You will also highlight the errors in the layout.
1. Look at the transcript window and answer the following questions:
Q: How many rules were checked?
__________________________________________________
Q: How many discrepancies (results) were found?
___________________________________________________
Q: How many of these errors occurred multiple times due to being in a
cell that has several instances in the layout?

2. Scan the Summary Report and answer the following questions:

(Hint: this information is towards the bottom of the report.)
Q: Which rules have discrepancies?
___________________________________
Q: Which cell(s) have discrepancies?
__________________________________

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

Notice that you can get increasing more details as you step through the
various output files available.
3. Close the DRC Summary Report Window.
4. Make the RVE window active.
5. Display the full results by clicking on the + until fully expanded.

Q: Does the information in this display correspond with the knowledge

you already gained from the transcript and the Summary Report?
________________________
Next, you will set up the highlight options for displays the discrepancies in
the layout.
6. Choose Menu: Setup > Options.
7. Make sure the Highlight tab is displayed.
8. Select Zoom cell view to highlight by.
9. Enter 0.3 in the text box.
(This zoom works well for the errors in the current layout.)
10. Choose Apply.
11. Choose OK to execute the dialog box.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

Next you will find out a little more information about one of the
discrepancies.
12. Click on the rulecheck min_poly_width -1 Error.
This displays additional information about the rule, itself.
13. Read the contents of the Checktext window.
Q: What is the rule specification?
___________________________________________________

Q: Interesting side note: what is the name of the Rule file?

___________________________________________________

Q: Is that the name of the Rule file you specified?

___________________________________________________

Q: Why do you think Calibre Interactive changed the name of your

Rule file?
(This is not obvious! You may need to look this up in the
documentation. HINT: Look in the Calibre Verification Users Manual
and search for _rule.)
____________________________________________________
Next, you will highlight the error in the layout.
14. Move the layout Window so you can view both RVE and the Layout
Viewer (DESIGNrev) at the same time.
15. Select the 01 below the Checkmin_poly_width error.
16. Choose H from the toolbar.
The layout viewer pans and zooms into the display to highlight the
discrepency.
Notice that the error is centered in the display. It is also in an empty area of
the display. This indicates that it is inside cell a1720.
Now you will display the underlying structure of the cell.
17. Choose Menu: View > Viewer Depth Increase.
This displays all the polygons in the next level of the hierarchy.
If you want to fix the problem, you would need to display just the cell with

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

the error.
18. Note the exact location of the error.
(The highlight will not display when you go into the cell.)
19. Choose a1720 from the list of cells in the left window.
This opens down into cell a1720.
You can use the Back arrow in the Toolbar to view the highlight, if you
cannot remember its location.
The Checktext window in Calibre RVE states that this violates the rule
where minimum poly width is 1.25. To correct the error, you would widen
the poly that was highlighted to match the adjacent pieces of poly.
You will fix this error in the next exercise.
Next you will look at another error.
20. Return to the Calibre RVE window.
21. Choose the button

(Highlight Next Error) from the Toolbar.

This displays the next error in the layout window.

Q: What is the problem with this part of the layout?

__________________________________________
22. Display the last discrepancy, using RVE.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

23. Choose Menu: View > Zoom Out at least twice to display another poly
run.

Q: What appears to be the problem?

______________________________________
Q: Exactly where (and what cell) is the problem?
You my need to continue to zoom and change the view so you are
only looking at the polygons in the top hierarchy to find the answer.
_______________________________________
In the next exercise you will correct this error.
24. Go to the next exercise.

Exercise: Correct an Error in the Layout

In this exercise, you will be given step by step instructions to correct the
problems in a1720. You know there are two problems. The first is a narrow
poly in the upper right of the cell and the second is an overlap that is too
small in the lower left a1720.
First we need to establish a common display (since you needed to do
different amounts of zooming, etc. to answer the last question in the
previous exercise.
1. Turn on all highlights in the layout using from RVE using Menu:
Highlight All Errors.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

2. In the layout viewer, set the view to only display the contents of the top
cell.
a. Choose Menu: View > Viewer Depth.
This opens the Set Viewer Depth dialog box.
b. Enter 0. (This corresponds to the top cell).
c. Choose OK to execute the dialog box.
You should now be able to see the highlights and just the contents of
the top cell.
3. Zoom and pan as needed to display the a1720 cell.
4. Select the a1720 cell.
Note the location of the two highlights. When you begin editing the cell
these highlights will no longer be visible.
5. Choose a1720 from the Cell window.
This opens down into the cell in a separate area.

Can you find the two pieces of poly that need to be fixed?
We will start with error 3, the poly in the lower left.
6. Zoom in to display a close up around this poly.
You know you need to extend the poly 1.25 into the oxide layer. You will
need something to act as a reference so you will know when you have
extended the poly the correct distance.
7. Choose Ruler from the Toolbar.
8. Click on the top edge of the oxide layer.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

9. Draw a straight line down approximately 1.25.

Your display should look similar to below. (Notice that this ruler is 1.258.)

10. Select the poly.

11. Select the vertex that needs stretching.
a. Choose Vertex from the Toolbar.
b. Click in the middle of the lower vertex.
The selected line segment should change to yellow to indicate
selection.
12. Choose Move from the Toolbar.
13. Stretch the segment until it is as long as your ruler indicates.
14. Release the mouse button to complete the stretch.
You should have corrected the first error. Now you will correct the second
error.
15. Display the part of the cell with the other error.
16. Use the same methods (ruler, select vertex, stretch) to correct this error.
Although the rule states that the minimum poly width is 1.25, measure the
width of the other similar poly lines and make the narrow poly line the same
width.
You are now ready to save the file and see if you fixed the problems.
17. Go to the next exercise.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

Exercise: Save a New GDSII Layout File

In this exercise, you will save the GDSII file to a new file.
1. Choose Menu: File > Save as GDS.
This opens the Save as GDS dialog box.
2. Enter lab3_fixed.gds in the File text box.
It is not necessary to save the file under a new name, you could have easily
used the same name. You are writing to a different file so you can return
to the old one if necessary.
3. Choose Save to execute the dialog box.
You now have a new layout for your next DRC run.
4. Open the lab3_fixed.gds layout. (Menu: File > Open GDS)
You now are displaying the fixed layout and are ready to re-run DRC.
5. Return to the RVE window.
6. Use the Eraser icon to erase all the highlights.
7. Close all RVE and Report windows.
8. Go to the next exercise.

Exercise: Run Calibre DRC on the New Layout

In this exercise, you will run DRC on the new layout and check your fixes.
1. Return to the Calibre Interactive DRC Window.
(You do not need to re-launch Calibre Interactive. You can use the existing
window.)
2. Change the following information:
[Inputs] Layout File: lab3_fixed.gds
[Outputs] DRC Results Database File: lab3_fixed.db
[Outputs] DRC Summary Report File: drc_report_fixed

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

3. Choose Transcript to display the transcript.

You are now ready to run DRC on the new data.
4. Choose Run DRC.
Q: What results do you expect?
_______________
5. Use the Transcript, Summary Report, and RVE to check your results.
Q: What results did you get?
____________________________________________________
If you have any errors, other than the expected one, you may want to go
back and try to fix the discrepancies again. If this is the case, you will need
to save the GDSII file again and re-run the DRC to check your results.
This concludes the DRC Lab. You may try to fix the other error on your own
and re-run DRC.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

MODULE 3: LVS
Exercise: Basic LVS Run
In this exercise you will manually load all of the information required for a
Calibre LVS run. You will then run LVS and scan through all the various
reports and generated files.
1. Change you directory to lab7.
cd<calibre_directory>/lab7

2. List the files in the directory.

You should see the seven files:
golden_rules
lab7_rules
lab7a.gds
lab7a_source.spi
lab7b.gds
lab7b_source.spi
layer_props.txt
If any of these files are missing, please double check that you are in the
correct directory, and then notify your instructor.
3. Launch DESIGNrev.
$MGC_HOME/bin/calibredrv

4. Open the GDSII file, lab7a.gds.

5. Load the layer properties file, layer_props.txt.
(Menu: Layer > Load Layer Properties)
6. Launch Calibre Interactive LVS on cell lab7a.
7. Choose New Runset.
You should now have the Calibre Interactive - LVS window open to Inputs
with the default information loaded.
8. Select Hierarchical.
9. Select Layout vs. Netlist.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

10. Enter lab7a.gds as the Layout file.

11. Make sure Import layout database from layout viewer is unselected.
12. Enter lab7a as the primary cell.
13. Enter lab7a_layout.net as the layout netlist.
Before you enter information for the next tab, answer the following
questions about your selections.
Q: You selected Layout vs. Netlist. What information did you need to
provide for the layout?
___________________________________
___________________________________

Q: Do all these files have to exist before the Calibre LVS run?
_________________________________________________
Q: What do you expect Calibre LVS to do before the actual LVS
comparison?
___________________
Q: What if you select Netlist to Netlist, what layout information
would Calibre LVS need?
________________________________________
________________________________________
Q: Do all these files have to exist before the Calibre LVS run?
________________________________________________
Q: Where would the layout netlist come from in this case?
________________________________________________
Q: What benefits exist for using this two-step process?
________________________________________________
Now that you have thought about the various options for the layout, you are
ready to enter more data.
14. Choose the Netlist tab.
15. Enter lab7a_source.spi as the Netlist File.
16. Make sure Import netlist from schematic viewer is unselected.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

17. Enter lab7a as the Primary Cell.

18. Choose the HCells tab.
19. Select Match cells by name (automatch).
20. Unselect Use H-Cells list from file.
21. Choose the Rules Menu button.
22. Enter lab7_rules as the Calibre- LVS Rules File.
23. Choose Load to load the Rule file.
24. View the Rule file.
Q: What does this rule file do?
___________________________________

25. Close the Rule file.

26. Enter . (no quote marks) as the Calibre - LVS Run Directory.
27. Choose the Outputs Menu button.
28. Enter lab7a_lvs.report as the LVS Report File.
29. Select View Report after LVS finishes.
30. Select Create SVDB Database.
31. Select Start RVE after LVS finishes.
32. Unselect Generate data for xRC
33. Unselect Generate Calibre Connectivity Interface data.
34. Enter svdb as the SVDB Directory.
We do not need to enter any data on the Flat-LVS Output tab.
Now that you have all the data entered you are ready to perform an LVS
run.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

35. Choose Run LVS from the Menu button.

When LVS completes, Calibre Interactive -LVS should be displaying the
Transcript, the LVS report should be open in a new window, and a LVS
RVE window should be open with the results loaded.
First you will quickly review the transcript.
36. Starting at the top, skim through the transcript.
Q: Which part of the LVS operation seemed to take the longest?
(Based on the amount of information in the transcript.)
_____________
Q: Is the comparison correct?
_____________
37. Look at the LVS report.

Q: What are the total number of instances in both the source and
layout inside cell lab7a?
_____________

Q: What are the total number of nets inside lab7a?

_____________
Since this is a correct report it is not terribly interesting.
38. Close the LVS Report window.
39. Make the LVS RVE window active.
Notice all the cells are displayed and they all have happy faces.
The LVS RVE window has one additional frame that the DRC version does
not have, the File Browser.
The File Browser allows you to view the netlists and reports quickly. You
have already seen some of this functionality in other labs, we will now
spend time on the netlists so you can get a deeper understanding.
40. Click on the Source Netlist in the File Browser.
This opens the Source netlist in a new window.
41. Click on the Layout Netlist in the LVS RVE File browser.
This opens the Layout netlist in a new window.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

42. Arrange the two netlist windows so you can see both at the same time.
43. In both windows, expand the Network and subcircuits to display lab7a,
by clicking on the +.
The windows should look similar to below.

44. Click on instance X9 in the Source netlist.

Q: What happened?
___________________________________
Q: How can these instances with different names match?
Name is not important in LVS. Type and connections are important.
45. Click on Net 9 (on instance X9) in the source netlist.
You may need to scroll the netlists to view all the highlights.

Q: What happened?
______________________________________
Q: What did you learn about net and instance names?
They do not need match to match _________________________
46. (Optional) Try matching one of the instances by hand.
47. Make the DESIGNrev window active.
Q: What do you see?
___________________
You can highlight instances and nets in the layout by selecting them in the
schematics.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

48. Experiment with cross referencing between the netlists and layout until
you are comfortable with the mechanics of the operation.
49. Using the LVS RVE window, erase all highlights.
50. Close the LVS RVE window and all netlist windows.
51. When you are ready go to the next exercise.

Exercise: Hierarchical LVS and Hcells

In this lab you will run another LVS, this time with an error.
1. Make the DESIGNrev window active.
2. Open the GDSII file, lab7b.gds.
3. Make the Calibre Interactive - LVS window active.
4. Enter the following Inputs [Layout] data:

5. Enter the following Input [Netlist] data:

6. Enter the following Input [HCells] data:

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

7. Enter the following Rules data:

8. Enter the following Outputs [Report/SVDB] data:

9. Run LVS.
Q: What are your results?
(Check the LVS Report.)
_______________________
Q: What types of errors and warnings do you have?
__________________________
__________________________
10. Look at LVS RVE.
11. Open the Source and Layout Netlists.
12. Look at the first subcircuit in both netlists.
Q: What is the name of the first subcircuit?
Layout: a9500 ________________________________________
Source: s9500 ________________________________________
13. Look at the rest of the subcircuits in the Source and Layout.
All the Source subcircuits begin with an s while the layout subcircuit
begins with an a. Calibre cannot build the hierarchy without perfect
matches. You can create a matching list for Calibre.
Q: What is this list called?
HCell list or HCell file _________________________________
Q: What format does this file use?
layout_name source_name _____________________________

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

Q: Write the list of subcircuits that need to be added to an Hcell file:

a1220 s1220 ________________________________________
a1230 s1230 _________________________________________
a1240 s1240 _________________________________________
a1310 s1310 _________________________________________
a1620 s1620 _________________________________________
a1720 s1720 _________________________________________
a2311 s2311 _________________________________________
14. Using any text file editor, create a file called lab7b_hcell.
15. Enter the Hcell data in the file.
(Hint: You need at least seven lines.)
16. Save and close the file.
17. Close all RVE, netlist, and report windows you may have open.
18. Make the Calibre Interactive - LVS window active.
19. Display Inputs [HCells].
20. Select Use H-Cells list from file.
21. Enter lab7b_hcell.
22. Run LVS.

Q: Now what kind of errors and warnings do you have?

Same types of error as before.____________________________
Q: What does RVE look like?
Hierarchy is back. _____________________________________
Error is in both the a2311 cell and the lab7b cell._____________
Q: Do you think it will be easier to track down the errors now that the
hierarchy is back?
Yes. ________________________________________________
23. Open the Source and Layout netlists.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

24. Expand the error in the results viewer.

25. Display the information on the discrepancy in the Discrepancy Viewer in
RVE.
26. Double-click on the net names in the Discrepancy Information window.
Q: What happens?
________________________________
Q: What about the Layout Viewer (DESIGNrev)?
_____________________
As you can see, you can cross probe between the netlists, discrepancy lists,
and layout.
27. Experiment with cross probing as desired.
28. Erase all highlights.
29. Close all Calibre windows including Calibre Interactive and
DESIGNrev.
This completes the lab.

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

MODULE 4: Parasitic Extraction

Introduction
In this lab, you will perform parasitic extraction starting with simple
lumped C and progressing to more complex distributed RCC.

Exercise: Lumped C Extraction

The goal of this exercise is the extraction of a flat ELDO netlist with
lumped parasitic capacitances.
1. Change your directory to <calibre_directory>xrc
2. List the files in the directory
ls
design.rules
design
tech_files
If any of these files are missing, please double check that you
are in the correct directory, and then notify your instructor.
3. Launch DESIGNrev.
$MGC_HOME/bin/calibredrv

4. Open the GDSII file, <xrc>/design/simple.gds

5. Launch Calibre Interactive PEX on cell simple.
6. Choose New Runset.

You should now have the Calibre Interactive - PEX window open to
Inputs with the default information loaded.
8. Select Netlist.
9. Browse & select the netlist file, <xrc>/design/simple.src.net

Sodavaram Nireekshan Kumar Using Calibre

10. Make sure that the Netlist Format is SPICE & Primary Cell is simple
11. Click on RULES menu button, which is present in the Left side of the
screen.
12. Browse and select design.rules present in <xrc> directory.
13. Click on OUTPUTS menu button present in the left side of the screen.
14. Make sure the Extraction Type is Transistor Level C.
15. In the NETLIST Window, select Format : ELDO and
Use Names from: Schematic
16. Rename the output file name as simple_lumped_c.spi
17. Click on REPORTS window & enable generation of LVS & PEX
Reports.
18. Click on RUN PEX menu button present in the left side of the screen.
19. After the run is completed, you will see the netlist with parasitic
elements included.
20. This completes the lab.
The generation of netlist with Distributed RCC is similar to the above.
The only change is step no. 14.
Make sure the Extraction Type is Transistor Level, RCC.