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Backend (Physical Design) Interview Questions and Answers
Backend (Physical Design) Interview Questions and Answers
Answers
vlsi-physical-design-and-vlsi-basics.blogspot.com/2013/07/backend-physical-design-interview.html
If you have both IR drop and congestion how will you fix it?
-Spread macros
-Spread standard cells
-Increase strap width
-Increase number of straps
-Use proper blockage
Is increasing power line width and providing more number of straps are the only solution to IR
drop?
-Spread macros
-Spread standard cells
-Use proper blockage
In a reg to reg path if you have setup problem where will you insert buffer-near to launching
flop or capture flop? Why?
(buffers are inserted for fixing fanout voilations and hence they reduce setup voilation;
otherwise we try to fix setup voilation with the sizing of cells; now just assume that you
must insert buffer !)
Because there may be other paths passing through or originating from the flop nearer to
lauch flop. Hence buffer insertion may affect other paths also. It may improve all those
paths or degarde. If all those paths have voilation then you may insert buffer nearer to
launch flop provided it improves slack.
What is the most challenging task you handled?
What is the most challenging job in P&R flow?
-It may be power planning- because you found more IR drop
-It may be low power target-because you had more dynamic and leakage power
-It may be macro placement-because it had more connection with standard cells or
macros
-It may be CTS-because you needed to handle multiple clocks and clock domain crossings
-It may be timing-because sizing cells in ECO flow is not meeting timing
-It may be library preparation-because you found some inconsistancy in libraries.
-It may be DRC-because you faced thousands of voilations
Why double spacing and multiple vias are used related to clock?
Why clock?-- because it is the one signal which chages it state regularly and more
compared to any other signal. If any other signal switches fast then also we can use
double space.
Buffer increase victims signal strength; buffers break the net length=>victims are more
tolerant to coupled signal from aggressor.