PDI

nter
viewQuest
ions
1)Howcany
our
educedy
nami
cpower
?

Wecanreducedynamicpowerbyinserti
ngcl
ockgati
ngcell
sorsel fgat
ing(
XORgatescell
s)f
orFF
wher
eevertheoutputofFFi
sstabl
ef oramorenumberofclockcyclest
henwecandisabl
ethecl
ock
t
emporar
il
ybecauseclockgi
vesinfi
nit
enooftransi
ti
onsatclocknodes.

2)Whatar
ethev
ect
orsofdy
nami
cpower
?

DynamicpowerP =VddCLᵹVfα,whereVdd issupplyvol

tage,CLisl
oadcapaci
tance,ᵹVisvol
tage
swingacr
ossanynode,fi
sfr
equencyandαi sswitchi
ngactivi
tyofsi
gnal
atanypar t
icul
arnode.

3)Whati
sinputv
ect
orcont
rol
l
edmet
hodofl
eakager
educt
ion?

Iti
sinputv
ect
orwhi
chgi
vesl
owpowerconsumpt
ioni
nlogi
cgat
esi
nst
andbymodeposi
ti
onofdi
git
al
syst
em.

4)Howwi
l
lyoudopowerpl
anni
ng?

a)
Creat
epowerI
Ori
ngwhi
cht
akest
hesuppl
yfr
om powerandgr
oundpor
ts.

b)Decidenoofhor
izont
alandv
ert
ical
powerst
rapsdependsonmeet
ingI
Rdr
opandpowerbudget
requi
rements.

c)
Applythepr
e_r
outes(lowerl
evelmetal
sM1r out
ing)att
opandbot
tom ofst
andar
dcel
lrowswhi
ch
di
str
ibut
espowertostandardcel
lsfr
om powerstr
aps.

c)
Theov
eral
lpowerpl
anni
ngwhi
chgi
vespr
opersuppl
ytoal
llogi
cgat
es(
standar
dcel
l
s,Macr
os)
.

5)I
fyouhav
ebot
hIRdr
opandcongest
ionhowwi
l
lyouf
ixi
t?

I
ncr
easenoofpowerst
raps,
incr
easemet
alwi
dthanddecr
easemacr
ost
acki
ng.

6)I
sincr
easi
ngpowerl
i
newi
dthandpr
ovi
dingmor
enumberofst
rapsar
etheonl
ysol
uti
ont
oIRdr
op?

I
ncr
easenoofv
iasal
sor
educesr
esi
stancei
npowernet
wor
k

7)Inaregt
oregpat
hify
ouhav
eset
uppr
obl
em wher
ewi
l
lyoui
nser
tbuf
fer
-neart
olaunchi
ngf
lopor
capt
uref
lop?Why?

capt
ureFl
op,
whenweinsertbuf
fer
satcaptur
eclockpat
hiti
ncr
easesskewwhichl
eadsi
ncreasei
n
Requi
reti
meofdat
areachestodat
apinofcaptur
eFF.Thenwegetoutfr
om set
upsl
ackprobl
em
8)Howwi
l
lyoudeci
debestf
loor
plan?

a)Thepl
acementofmacroswhichgiv
esaconti
guouscorear
eaforpl
acementofst
andar
dcel
l
swher
e
ther
eismorenoofhori
zontal
andv er
ti
cal
rout
ingresour
ceswil
lav
ail
abl
e

b)Theoveral
lpowerpl
anni
ngwhichgi
vespr
opersuppl
ytoal
ll
ogi
cgat
es(
standar
dcel
l
s,Macr
os)t
o
meetIRdropandpowerbudgetr
equi
rement
s.

9)Howwi
l
lyousy
nthesi
zecl
ockt
ree?

cl
ocki
saHi
ghf
anoutsi
gnal
sowedocl
ockt
reesy
nthesi
zebyaddi
ngcl
ockbuf
fer
sint
hecl
ockpat
h.

10)Whybuf
fer
sar
eusedi
ncl
ockt
ree?

cl
ockisahighfan-outsi
gnalwhichdri
vesmoreandmorenoofFFcl
ockpinssothroughoutt
hecl
ock
nett
hesignalst
rengthwil
lbereduces.Toboostt
hecl
ocksi
gnalweusesclockbuf
fers.

Thesebuffer
shavehi
ghdri
vi
ngst
rengthandgi
vesequal
riseandf
all
timesout
putt
ransi
ti
onswhi
ch
wil
lneverchanget
hedut
ycycl
eofclocksi
gnal

11)Whi
char
ethecl
ocksour
ces?

cl
ockgener
ati
ngcr
yst
alosci
l
lat
orsandPLL(
phasel
ockedl
oops)
.

12)Whati
scr
osst
alk?Howcany
ouav
oidcr
osst
alk?

a)whent
wosignalnet
sarenearbyeachother(wit
hinsamemetallayerorbet
weentwometal
layer
s),
ononenett
hesignalt
ransi
ti
onseffect
sthesignalval
ue(si
gnal
logiclevel
)onot
herneti
scal
ledcr
oss
tal
k.

b)
Byi ncr
easi
ng(sio2)
dielect
rict
hicknessbet weenmetal
s(coupl
ingcapacit
orinver
sel
ypr opor
ti
onalt
o
di
stancebetweenmetal plat
es)&pr ovi
dingshieldi
ng(
keepi
ngVDDandVSSmet all
ayer
sbet ween
cr
osst al
keff
ectednets)whichusest oby passtheunwant
edtransi
ti
oneffectsofonesignalonother
si
gnal.

13)Whydoubl
espaci
ngandmul
ti
plev
iasar
eusedr
elat
edt
ocl
ock?

Clocki
sver
ysensi
ti
vesi
gnal
(hi
ghtr
ansi
ti
onsi
gnal)t
her
eismorepr
obabi
l
ityt
ogetaef
fectf
rom cr
oss
tal
kssoweusesdoubl
espaci
ngincl
ocknetr
out
ingtoavoi
dcr
osstal
k

14)Howbuf
fercanbeusedi
nvi
cti
mtoav
oidcr
osst
alk?

Buf
fer
sstrengt
hsthesi
gnali
nvict
im nett
henasmal
lfl
uct
uat
ionsonaanynetwi
l
lnev
eref
fectt
he
l
ogi
clevel
ofsignalont
hatnet
.

15)Whatpar
amet
ers(
oraspect
s)di
ff
erent
iat
eChi
pDesi
gnandBl
ockl
evel
desi
gn?
 a)
sil
i
conDi
eandcorear
easb)
ATDFf i
leFrom chi
plev
eli
st heoneofi
nputtobl
ocklev
elc)
InChi
p
l
evelt
hedi
eshapei
sobvi
ousl
yrect
angul
arbutitmaynotbesameasinblockl
evel

d)Chi
plev
eli
sSOCf
orm whi
chi
sint
egr
ati
onofal
lBl
ockl
evel
s

16)Howdoy
oupl
acemacr
osi
naf
ull
chi
pdesi
gn?

17)Di
ff
erent
iat
ebet
weenaHi
erar
chi
cal
Desi
gnandf
latdesi
gn?

a)I
nHier
archi
caldesi
gnthedesi
gnmaint
ainshier
archyi
nthegatelevel
netl
i
st,t
hemappi
ngand
desi
gnrul
eoptimizat
ionl
evel
sal
sodi
ff
erentfr
om onelevel
ofhier
archytoother

b)
Inf
latdesi
gnthenetl
i
sti
sal
sof
lat
tennet
li
stmeanst
hemappi
nganddesi
gnr
uleopt
imi
zat
ionef
for
ts
ar
eequaltoal
lcel
ls.

18)Whi
chi
smor
ecompl
i
cat
edwhenuhav
ea48MHzand500MHzcl
ockdesi
gn?Why
?

500MHz,avoi
dingcr
osst al
keff
ect
s,j
i
tterandmai
ntai
ningminONandOFFpulsewidt
hsal
soisv er
y
compl
icat
edinclocksignalwhi
chhasshortti
meperi
od.Thenoofset
upv
iol
ationsal
somorethan
48MHzinasamedesi gn.

19)Whatar
ethei
nputf
il
eswi
l
lyougi
vef
orpr
imet
imecor
rel
ati
on?

a)(
Synopsysdesi
gnconstr
ainedfi
l
e.sdcandGNL.
v)or.
ddcb)
wir
eloadmodel
orst
andar
ddel
ay
for
matfil
e.sdfc)
taget
.dbl
ogical
li
braryf
il
e

20)I
fther
out
ingcongest
ionexi
stsbet
weent
womacr
os,
thenwhatwi
l
lyoudo?

Most
lyiti
sduetoineff
ici
entspaci
ngbet
weentwomacrosf
orr
out
ingthemacr
opins,thenwekeep
pr
operchannel
spaci
ngbetweenmacros=(nomacr
opinsmayberout
edint
hatspace)X(minpi
tchof
ametal)

21)Howwi
l
lyoudeci
det
hedi
esi
ze?

22)I
flengt
hymet
all
ayeri
sconnect
edt
odi
ff
usi
onandpol
y,t
henwhi
chonewi
l
laf
fectbyant
ennapr
obl
em?

Poly,
becausethi
shi
ghlengthmetalonpol
yduri
ngchemicalmechanicalpol
ishi
ngwi
lldeposi
tmore
andmor enoofchar
gecarri
ersonthegate(q=cv,
c=eA/
d)c=constantbutduetohi
ghQ gat e
capacit
ancechar
gestohi
ghv ol
tagewhi
chwill
destr
oythegatestr
uctureisknownasantennapr
obl
em.

23)I
fthef
ull
chi
pdesi
gni
srout
edby7l
ayermet
al,
whymacr
osar
edesi
gnedusi
ng5LM i
nst
eadofusi
ng
7LM?

24)WhatdoesSDCconst
rai
ntf
il
econt
ain?
 a)opt
imi
zati
onconst
rai
nsb)
env
ironment
alconst
rai
ntsc)
desi
gnr
uleconst
rai
nsd)
ti
mingexcept
ion
const
rai
nts

25)Howdi
dyour
esol
vet
heset
upandhol
dpr
obl
em?

setup:
a)Byupsizi
ngthecel
l
spr
esenti
ndat
apat
handl
aunchi
ngcl
ockpat
h&downsi
zet
hecel
l
sin
captur
eclockpath.

b)
usi
ngLVTcel
l
sindat
apat
handl
aunchi
ngcl
ockpat
h&HVTcel
l
sincapt
urecl
ockpat
h

c)
Appl
ypat
hbasedanal
ysi
s

d)
Use_
ful
lskewmet
hod

e)Lachi
nser
ti
onbet
weenr
egi
ster
sinr
egt
oregpat
hs

f
)Atl
astwor
stcasewecansl
i
ght
lyi
ncr
easescl
ockper
iod

Hol
d:

a)
Bydownsi
zi
ngt
hecel
l
spr
esenti
ndat
apat
handl
aunchi
ngcl
ockpat
h&upsi
zet
hecel
li
ncapt
ure
cl
ockpat
h

b)
usi
ngHVTcel
l
sindat
apat
handl
aunchi
ngcl
ockpat
h&LVTcel
l
sincapt
urecl
ockpat
h

26)Whatar
ethepr
elay
outandpost
lay
outpr
obl
emsf
acedr
elat
edt
oti
ming?

Pr
e-l
ayoutTi
ming:

a)
Inpr
elay
out,
thecl
ockandasy
nchr
onoussi
gnal
sar
etr
eat
edasi
deal
signal
ssot
her
eisnor
eal
skew

butwegowit
hesti
mateduncert
aint
y(skew+j
i
tter
)forset
-up(
uncer
tai
ntysubt
ract
edf
rom RT)and
hol
dcases(
uncer
tai
ntyaddedt
oRT).

b)Her
eweuseWi
reLoadModel
swhi
char
est
ati
sti
cal
basednetdel
ayv
alues

post
-l
ayoutt
imi
ng:

a)Inpost-
layoutcompl
eter
out
ednet
li
stgi
vesexactnetdel
aysandskewi
sboundedt
ofi
xedv
alues
,hereuncert
aintyi
sonl
yji
tt
er.

b)
someofsetv
iol
ati
onsi
npr
elay
outSTAmayf
ixi
npostl
ayoutSTA.

27)I
nwhi
chl
ayerdoy
oupr
eferf
orcl
ockr
out
ingandwhy
?
 Middlelay
ers,t
opmet all
ayers(M7,M6)arededi
cat
edtogl
obalorchipl
evel
rout
ingbutl
owermetal
l
ayers(M2,M1)areusedforprer outesi
fweuselowermet
alsalsotocl
ockrout
ingt
hensignal
noise
ef
fecttoclocknetswil
lbev eryhigh.

28)I
finy
ourdesi
gnhasr
esetpi
n,t
heni
t’
ll
aff
ecti
nputpi
norout
putpi
norbot
h?

Ifi
tissynchr
onousreseti
tcontr
olstheinputpi
nlogicanddeci
destheoutputpi
nlogi
clev
elandi
fiti
s
asynchr
onousresetwhichdi
rect
lycont
rolsanddecidesout
putpinl
ogici
naFF.

29)Def
ineant
ennapr
obl
em andhowdi
dyour
esol
vet
hesepr
obl
em?

Ahi
ghelect
rost
ati
cpotent
ial
ontransi
storgatewi
ll
destr
oythet
ransi
storgatest
ruct
ure,
byusi
ng
met
alj
ogging,
metalj
umpingandantennadiodeswi
llr
educeant
ennaeffect
s.

30)Howdel
aysv
arywi
thdi
ff
erentPVTcondi
ti
ons?Showt
hegr
aph.

Vol
tage:
whensuppl
yvol
tagedecr
easest
hendel
ayofcel
l (
1/Vds)wi
l
lincr
easesv
icev
ersa

Temperature:
whent
emper
atur
eincr
easest
hennocol
l
isi
onsofchar
gecar
ri
erswi
thot
herat
oms
i
ncreasesthen

someamountofKE=(
3/2)
KTwill
wast essospeedofchar
gecar
ri
erf
rom sour
cet
odr
aindecr
eases
i
ndir
ect
lyov
eral
ldel
ayofcel
li
ncreases.

Process:
Inmanuf act
uri
ngfabsall
transi
stor
sofsamedesi
gni
nadi f
fer
entdieswil
lnev
erbesamei
n
thesenseofchannell
engthandoxi
det hi
cknessi
sknownasprocessvari
ati
ons.

31)Whati
scel
ldel
ayandnetdel
ay?

celldel
ay:
thet
imedi
ff
erencebet
weenat
imepoi
ntofacel
lexci
tedbyani
nputt
othet
imepoi
ntofi
ts
response.

Netdel
ay:
thet
imet
akenbyanett
hatt
ransmi
tsasi
gnal
from onenodet
oot
hernode.

32)Whati
swi
rel
oadmodel
?

Wireloadmodelgi
vesastati
sti
calwi
redel
ayval
ues,
inwhi
chl
engt
hofnet,
areaofnet
,resi
stanceand
capacit
anceofanetdependsonfan-
outfact
or.

33)Whyhi
ghermet
all
ayer
sar
epr
efer
redf
orVddandVss?

Highmet
all
ayer
shavehi
ght
hickness,
whi
chgi
vesl
owr
esi
stancesowecaneasi
l
ymetI
Rdr
opi
fwe
usehi
ghmetall
ayer
s.

34)Whati
slogi
copt
imi
zat
ionandgi
vesomemet
hodsofl
ogi
copt
imi
zat
ion.
 opt
imi
zet
hedesi
gnl
ogi
cal
l
ytosol
vet
imi
ngi
ssueswi
thoutchangi
ngf
unct
ional
i
tyofdesi
gn

a)
cloni
ngb)
logi
cal
rest
ruct
uri
ngc)swappi
ngt
hepi
nsd)
buf
fer
ing

35)Whati
ssi
gnal
int
egr
it
y?Howi
taf
fect
sTi
ming?

Cr
osstalkisasi
gnal
int
egri
tyi
ssue,
i
tcanchangeONandOFFt
hepul
sewi
dthwi
ndowofcl
ocksi
gnal
it
mayvi
olatesset
uporhol
d.

36)Whati
sthesi
gni
fi
canceofnegat
ivesl
ack?

Negat
ivesl
acki
sbet
tert
osol
vehol
dvi
olat
ionpr
obl
emsbuti
ncr
easesset
upv
iol
ati
ons.

37)Whati
sEM andi
tef
fect
s?

whenanetisdr
ivi
ngbyahighdr
ivest
rengt
hcellt
hent
hecur
rentdensi
tyont
henetwil
lbeincr
eases.
Duetothi
shighcurr
entwi
nd,atomsbulgelar
gel
yatpar
ti
cul
arpositi
onswi
l
lmakeshort
soropenson
thenet
.

38)Whati
scl
oni
ngandbuf
fer
ing?

cl
oni
ngandbuf
fer
ingar
elogi
cal
opt
imi
zat
iont
echni
ques,

Buff
eri
ng:i
nsertabuff
eri
nal
ongnetwheni
tconnect
stwof
arcel
l
s.Thi
sreducesov
eral
ldel
ay,
tr
ansit
ionv
iol
ations

cl
oni
ng:whenweakcell(gat
ex2)dr
ives2cell
s(gat
ex2)thenbyusi
ngcloningweuse2(gat
ex2)cell
s
i
nwhicheach(gat
ex2)cel
ltodri
veone(gat
ex2)cellonl
y.whi
chhelpf
ulltoreducef
an-
outvi
olat
ions

39)Whati
sJi
tt
er?Whati
sthesour
ceofJi
tt
er?

Thev
ari
ati
onsofcl
ockONorOFFpul
sewi
dthatapar
ti
cul
arcl
ockcy
clesi
sknownasj
i
tter
.

I
tsmai
nlyduet
oimper
fect
ionsi
ncr
yst
alosci
l
lat
ors,
crosst
alkef
fect
s.