Abstract

In this paper, we present an algorithm for gate sizing with controlled displacement to improve the overall circuit timing. We use a path-based delay model to capture the timing constraints in the circuit. To reduce the problem size and improve the solution convergence, we iteratively identify and optimize the kmost critical paths in the circuit and their neighboring cells. More precisely in each iteration, we perform three operations: a) reposition the immediate fan-outs of the gates on the k-most critical paths; b) size down the immediate fan-outs of the gates on the k-most critical paths; c) simultaneously reposition and resize the gates on the k-most critical paths. Each of these operations is formulated and solved as a mathematical program by using efficient solution techniques. Experimental results on a set of benchmark circuits demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach compared to the conventional approaches which separate gate sizing from gate placement. 1

Citations