Conventional methods for optimal sizing of wires and transistors use linear RC circuit models and the Elmore delay as a measure of signal delay. If the RC circuit has a tree topology the sizing problem reduces to a convex optimization problem which can be solved using geometric programming. The tree topology restriction precludes the use of these methods in several sizing problems of significant importance to high-performance deep submicron design including, for example, circuits with loops of resistors, e.g., clock distribution meshes, and circuits with coupling capacitors, e.g., buses with crosstalk between the lines. The paper proposes a new optimization method which can be used to address these problems. The method uses the dominant time constant as a measure of signal propagation delay in an RC circuit, instead of Elmore delay. Using this measure, sizing of any RC circuit can be cast as a convex optimization problem which can be solved using the recently developed efficient interi...

We propose to use the dominant time constant of a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit as a measure of the signal propagation delay through the circuit. We show that the dominant time constant is a quasiconvex function of the conductances and capacitances, and use this property to cast several interesting design problems as convex optimization problems, specifically, semidefinite programs (SDPs). For example, assuming that the conductances and capacitances are affine functions of the design parameters (which is a common model in transistor or interconnect wire sizing), one can minimize the power consumption or the area subject to an upper bound on the dominant time constant, or compute the optimal tradeoff surface between power, dominant time constant, and area. We will also note that, to a certain extent, convex optimization can be used to design the topology of the interconnect wires. This approach has two advantages over methods based on Elmore delay optimization. First, it handles a far wider class of circuits, e.g., those with non-grounded capacitors. Second, it always results in convex optimization problems for which very efficient interiorpoint methods have recently been developed. We illustrate the method, and extensions, with several examples involving optimal wire and transistor sizing.

In this paper, we present new moment models for uniform, nonuniform and coupled transmission lines. The moment model of a line is based on the relationships between the two port currents (KCL) and the two port voltages (KVL) of the line. The parameters of the model depend on the mean values of the voltage moments and the weighted voltage moments of the line. Simple formulas are given to compute these mean values efficiently. By using such models and moment matching techniques, interconnects modeled as transmission line networks can be efficiently simulated. In addition, by using moment sensitivities, we demonstrate that wire sizing optimization can be carried out for layout design. 1 Introduction With the rapid increase of the signal frequency and decrease of the feature sizes in high speed electronic circuits, interconnects play increasingly important roles. Not only the signal delay due to interconnects is often significantly larger than the transistor delay, On leave from Nanjin...

ching, Pade approximation, level simulation, circuit simulation, piecewise linear i Copyright 1992 This thesis would not have been possible were it not for the companionship, encouragement, support, and guidance from numerous friends and associates. First of all I would like to thank Neil Wilhelm and Helen Davis for believing in me, inspiring me, and encouraging me and for serving as role models. I don't think I would have attempted it without their support. I would also like to thank Forest Baskett and Sam Fuller for providing me the opportunity to attend Stanford. My advisor, Mark Horowitz, deserves special mention for his patience and guidance throughout my stay at Stanford. As a instructor he has contributed more to my education here than any other person. As an advisor his insight into circuits and his unerring ability to ask the right (often terribly embarrassing) question have greatly increased the quality of this wor

Conventional methods for optimal sizing of wires and transistors use linear RC circuit models and the Elmore delay as a measure of signal delay. If the RC circuit has a tree topology the sizing problem reduces to a convex optimization problem which can be solved using geometric programming. The tree topology restriction precludes the use of these methods in several sizing problems of significant importance to highperformance deep submicron design including, for example, circuits with loops of resistors, e.g., clock distribution meshes, and circuits with coupling capacitors, e.g., buses with crosstalk between the lines. The paper proposes a new optimization method which can be used to address these problems. The method uses the dominant time constant as a measure of signal propagation delay in an RC circuit, instead of Elmore delay. Using this measure, sizing of any RC circuit can be cast as a convex optimization problem which can be solved using the recently developed efficient interior-point methods for semidefinite programming. The method is applied to two important sizing problems- sizing of clock meshes, and sizing of buses in the presence of crosstalk. 1