Regularity-aware routability-driven placement prototyping algorithm for hierarchical mixed-size circuits

摘要

The paper introduces a routability-driven placement prototyping algorithm for hierarchical mixed-size circuits and pays special attention to regular placement of macros. The three-stage algorithm has become the most popular placement approach for commercial design flows, where placement prototyping plays a critical role in the algorithm because distribution of cells and macros is mainly determined by it. SOC circuits usually contain sets of macros which have identical shapes and are in similar hierarchies. If these macros can be placed regularity, powerplanning will become easier and better routability may be obtained. To consider placement regularity, the paper proposes a physical aware clustering algorithm which is possible to cluster two objects with large area. Experimental results have demonstrated effectiveness of our methodology according to industrial benchmarks tested by a real design low.