Virtuoso Layout XL training (virtuoso617 based)

Hao Yan

9/9/22

PhotonIC Technologies Internal Use Only

All information contained in this document is confidential to PhotonIC Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. No license, expressed or
implied, under any patent, copyright or trade secret right is granted or implied by the conveyance of this document. No part of this
document may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, translated into any language or computer
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written permission of PhotonIC Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Copyright © PhotonIC Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.
 Contents

• Common layout BindKeys

• Layout PDK Options
• Setup Layout XL environment
• Launch XL
• Generate layout form schematic
• Layout Floorplan
• Routing

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Common Layout BindKeys

Key Description
Ctrl+shift+w Create wire
P Path
S Stretch
M Move
R Create Rectangle
C Copy
H Repeat copy
Del Delete
X Edit in place
B Return To Level…
Shift+b Return to top level
K Ruler
Shift+K Clear Ruler
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 Common Layout BindKeys

Key Description
Ctrl+Z Zoom in (at mouse scroll down )
Shift+Z Zoom out ( at mouse scroll up)
F Zoom fit
I Create instance
ESC Exit current command
F4 Partical/Fully select
A Quick Align
Ctrl+J Flip
Shift+O Rotate
Q Edit Instance Properties
Shift + g Create guardring

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 Common Layout BindKeys

Key Description
Ctrl + D Deselect all
Ctrl + A Select all
Shift +A Select by area
Select by line
Shift +M Merge
Shift +R Reshape
T Tap

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 Layout PDK Options(MOS)
Step 1---Use Bindkey Q to enable Edit instance properties window

Step 2 Step 3

• Step 1 Use Q enable

Edit instance
properties window

• Step 2 go to
parameter option

• Step 3 turn on
Display Layout
Related Parameters
Step 4

• Step 4 you can

modify layout related
parameters such as
dummy poly ,S/D
swap , etc.

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 Setup Layout environment(XL)

• Step 1 click
Options in Layout Step 1 Step 3
XL window

• Step2 click Layout Step 4

XL…

• Step3 go to
extraction tab Step 2
• Step 4 enable
Update
connectivity
information…..

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 Setup Layout environment(XL)

• Step 5 go to
Generation tab Step 5
• Step 6 make sure
marked options
are enabled

Step 6

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 Setup Layout environment(XL)
Step 3
• Step 1 Right click Step 1
mouse on marked
tool bar where
didn’t have any
icon

• Step 2 enable
Align tool bar Step 4
• Step3 you will find
new tool bar show
up Step 2
• Align tool bar can
help you align
multiple targets
use specified Step 5
pitch

• Step 4 click
Window on main
tool bar

• Step5 find
workspaces then
save it

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 Launch XL

Step 1
• Step 1 Open
schematic then
click Launch

• Step 2 click Step 2

Layout XL

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 Launch XL

• Step 3 Create New

and make
configuration
Automatic then
OK
Step 3
• Step 4 New file
will show up make
sure Library ,Cell
name and View
then OK

Step 4

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 Generate layout form schematic

• Use marked
bottom to
generate all layout
components from
schematic

Generate all
from source

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 Generate layout form schematic

• Step 1 after
clicked generate
all form source
bottom will show Step 1
up this box

• Step 2 Just keep

those marked Step 2
options and go to
I/O Pins tab to
setup Pins
property

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 Generate layout form schematic

• Step 1 change
Layer property to
Metal pin layer
and change pins
Step 1 Step 2
W/H
Step 5
• Step2 Apply step1 Step 4
setup to all pins

• Step 3 Use Labels

to create Pin’s
Label don’t use
Text Display

• Step 4 Click
Options bottom
then set pin label

• Step 5 Layer
purpose and Step 3 Step 4
Layer name must
use Same As Pin

• Step 6 Click OK to
generate Layout Step 6

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 Layout Floorplan

• You will have all

devices in layout
XL window after
generation

• You can make

Floorplan in this
window

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 Generate selected from source

• Click here
to generate
device from
source

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 Generate selected from source

• Step1 select
device from
schematic
• Step2 click bottom
(generate selected
from source) in
layout window
• Then you will get
the device in
layout window

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 Update components and nets

• Keep layout same as

schematic when
schematic changed

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 Update components and nets

Only update selected

instance
Replace old instance
Update layout
parameters when
schematic changed

generate instance

generate pins

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 Layout Floorplan(Chain Devices)

• Step 1 select
multiply devices
which need abut
together

• Step 2 click
generate chain
devices

• Step 3 enable Use

Device Order then
Apply Step 1
• Step 4 they will be
chained together

Step 4 Step 2 Step 3

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 Layout Floorplan(Clone)

• Step 1 Find two

exactly same
pattern layout

• Step 2 Just
remove one of Step 1
them
Step 2
Delete

Step 3

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 Layout Floorplan(Clone)

• Step 3 Select
devices which you
need clone

• Step 4 Click Step 4 Step 3

generate clone
then generate
clones window
will show up

• Step 5 Click
search bottom to
find which deleted
before Step 5
• Step 6 Select
Clones Found
devices
Step 6
• Reminding! If you
can find clones in
Clones Found
window, you can
change the option
in Search section
Step 4

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 Layout Floorplan(Clone)

• Step 7 Put the

Clones in layout
window

• When clones are Step 7

placed in layout
window, you can
use Bindkey(X)
into clones then
modify.

• When one clone

have been
modified other
clones will be
updated
simultaneously

• Reminding! Use
layout XL when
you edit clones
otherwise will
break relationship
between those
clones

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 Routing(clone)

• (Repeat) Copy clone

• Clone routing group

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 Routing(create wire)

• Do not use create path to

draw diagonal shape ,
will make off grid happen

• Use create wire to draw

diagonal shape , it will
auto tap width and layer

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 Routing(create bus)

• Step1 Create M2
bus
• Step2 select by
line to select
vertical M2
• Step3 change
M2 to M3
• Step4 auto
create via from
area

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 Routing(create bus)

• Create irregular
bus to regular
bus

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 Routing(create bus)

• Step1 create
bus and
click to
select all net
• Step2 click
F3 and
modify all
nets bit
spacing
from various
to a number

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 Some interesting function

Stretch via and mosaic:

Option-selection -
selection options - turn
on the bottom

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Some interesting function

Stretch edge

Stretch edge

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 Some interesting function

Stretch handles :
Stretch pcell
E-display option-
stretch handles

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 Some interesting function

Stretch
handles :
Stretch pcell

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 Some interesting function

cross probe : high

light layout net
corresponding to
schematic net

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 Some interesting function

change metal layer & via

(script)

Bind key 2

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 Some interesting function
Switch metal layer(script)
Bindkey : ctrl/shift + 0/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

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 Waiting for more
(modgen , auto via on same net , pin placement , auto routing .)

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Layout Floorplan

Thank you

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