Design Rule Evaluation Framework Using Automatic Cell Layout Generator for Design Technology Co-Optimization

Abstract

This paper proposes a complete and full automation framework of evaluating design rules (DRs) to facilitate the process of design technology co-optimization (DTCO), which is highly demanded in 14-nm and beyond technologies. Our proposed framework explores the changes of DRs and evaluates the impacts on the number and types of DR violations as well as the resulting cell/chip layout area. Precisely, the core engine of our DR evaluation framework for DTCO, the automatic cell layout generator, consists of key enabling techniques for standard cell layout optimization. They are integrated coherently to seamlessly support the advanced process technologies using FinFET transistors, complex DRs, and double patterning (DP) lithography. Also, the tight integration of our automatic cell layout generation into the DR evaluation framework with diverse analysis features enables the DTCO process to be much faster and more efficient. We provide a set of experimental data not only to show how much our proposed enabling techniques are effective in optimizing layouts but also to show how effectively our framework explores and analyzes the DTCO parameters (e.g., ground DRs and DP DRs).