Recovering layout margin in advanced nodes

In advanced process nodes, physical verification teams face the challenge of balancing reliability with area efficiency. While voltage-aware design rule checking (VA-DRC) addresses this, traditional implementations often use conservative worst-case voltage assumptions, leading to unnecessary spacing, restricted routing and wasted silicon area. The SyncNets packaged check for Calibre PERC provides a strategic optimization by integrating timing-related design intent into physical verification. By identifying synchronously switching net pairs, SyncNets replaces generic delta-V assumptions with realistic, synchronized voltage differentials. This approach significantly recovers layout margin and enhances design density, accelerating time-to-market while maintaining reliability compliance.

What you'll learn:

• How conservative voltage assumptions lead to wasted silicon area and reduced routing flexibility.
• The concept of synchronous net identification and its impact on delta-V calculations.
• How the SyncNets Calibre PERC packaged check automates the integration of timing intent into physical verification.
• The benefits of recovering layout margins and improving design density without sacrificing reliability.
• The implementation details of the SyncNets flow, from capturing designer intent to automated verification.

Who should read this:

• Physical verification engineers
• Layout engineers
• CAD engineers
• Design managers
• Reliability engineers working on advanced process nodes