Presentation
Vmin Reliability Through Critical Path-Aware PDN Analysis
DescriptionEnsuring reliable chip operation at minimum voltage (Vmin) demands robust analysis of timing, thermal, and power delivery networks (PDN). Traditional transient analysis methods are computationally intensive and impractical for evaluating PDN across all critical path scenarios. This work introduces the Path-aware SigmaAV (PSAV) methodology, which leverages Sigma technology in RedHawk-SC to efficiently simulate worst-case voltage drops. Critical paths extracted via PrimeTime are analyzed using aggressor voltage impact data, enabling realistic scenario generation without exhaustive transient simulations. The PSAV flow back-annotates worst-case drops into PrimeTime for slack analysis, guiding targeted PDN reinforcement. Applied to a 100M-instance design, PSAV simulated 1.9M path segments in 6 hours using 127 workers, outperforming traditional VCD-based methods in both coverage and accuracy. Over 90% of critical path instances were better analyzed in a single PSAV run, revealing slack violations missed by conventional techniques. Future enhancements aim to refine aggressor selection for broader coverage. PSAV presents a scalable, performance-efficient solution for Vmin reliability assurance.
Event Type
Engineering Poster
TimeWednesday, July 293:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
LocationDAC Pavilion, Exhibit Floor