Table-Lookup Methods for Improved Performance-Driven Routing - Design Automation Conference, 1998. Proceedings

T h e inaccuracy of Elmore delay [3] f o r interconnect delay estimation i s well-documented. However it remains a popular delay measure t o drive performance optimization procedures such as wire-sizing and topology construction. This paper studies the meri ts of incorporating “better-than-Elmore” delay measures into the optimization process. T h e proposed delay metr ics use a table-lookup method to incorporate better load modeling and approximate the eflect of signal slew. We demonstrate that the proposed metr ics exhibit a m u c h narrower error distribution than Elmore delay, eliminating Elmore’s frequent gross delay over-estimation. Finally we show the improvement in solution quality which can be had by incorporating the new metrics in to a timing driven topology construction algorithm.