OVERVIEW OF PHYSICAL DESIGN
Physical Design. During physical design, all design components are instantiated with their geometric representations. In other words, all macros, cells, gates, transis tors, etc., with fixed shapes and sizes per fabrication layer are assigned spatial loca tions (placement) and have appropriate routing connections (routing) completed in metal layers. The result of physical design is a set of manufacturing specifications that must subsequently be verified. Physical design is performed with respect to design rules that represent the physical limitations of the fabrication medium. For instance, all wires must be a prescribed minimum distance apart and have prescribed minimum width. As such, the design layout must be recreated in ( migrated to) each new manufacturing technology. Physical design directly impacts circuit performance, area, reliability, power, and manufacturing yield. Examples of these impacts ...