SRC Physical Design Top Ten Problems

Transistor density on an integrated circuit continues to grow at an exponential rate. The associated complexities when applied to synthesis, layout, and timing analysis will become untenable within the framework of our current technological capabilities. This paper briefly outlines the problems facing the semiconductor industry early into the next decade. A SRC research thrust team consisting of members from various companies prioritized these problems and established a top ten list. This paper includes both problem descriptions as well as metrics to benchmark proposed solutions.