21/08/2025

What is DRC (Design Rule Check)? How to fix drcs if in huge numbers?

o    DRC (Design Rule Check): checks if the physical layout is as per foundry rules, ensure it can be manufactured reliably with acceptable yield.

o    Types of Rules: Include minimum width, minimum spacing (intra-layer and inter-layer), minimum area, via enclosure, overlap requirements, antenna rules (often checked separately but fundamentally DRCs), density rules, and many complex conditional rules (e.g., end-of-line spacing, notch spacing).

o    Fixing DRCs:

§  Spacing Violations: Increase the space between the violating shapes (e.g., move wires further apart).

§  Width/Area Violations: Increase the width or area of the violating shape.

§  Enclosure/Overlap Violations: Adjust the size or position of shapes to meet via enclosure or layer overlap requirements.

§  Manual Fixing: If handful of DRCs, can be fixed manually within PNR tools.

§  Automated Fixing: If too many drcs, can use eco_route -fix_drc. Tool can re route and try to fix drcs.

o   Fixing thousands of DRCs requires a systematic approach:

§  Categorize Errors: Use the DRC tool's reporting features to group violations by rule type and layer.

§  Prioritize: Focus on systematic errors first which can be implemented by script or automated way.

§  Scripting: Write scripts (Tcl, Skill) to automate fixes for repetitive, predictable violations.

o    Tools Used:

§  Signoff PV Tools: Industry standards are Siemens Calibre, Cadence Pegasus, Synopsys IC Validator. These are used for final signoff verification.

§  PnR Tools: Cadence Innovus and Synopsys ICC2/Fusion Compiler have integrated DRC engines (often leveraging the signoff engines) for checking and fixing during place and route.

o    DRC in VLSI: https://www.techsimplifiedtv.in/2023/01/design-rule-check-in-vlsi.html

 

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