Timing Optimization Through Clock Skew Scheduling

This book details timing analysis and optimization techniques for circuits with level-sensitive memory elements. It contains a linear programming formulation applicable to the timing analysis of large scale circuits and includes a delay insertion methodology that improves the efficiency of clock skew scheduling. Coverage also provides a framework for and results from implementing timing optimization algorithms in a parallel computing environment.Timing Optimization Through Clock Skew Scheduling focuses on optimizing the timing of large scale, high performance, digital synchronous systems. A particular emphasis is placed on algorithms for non-zero clock skew scheduling to improve the performance and reliability of VLSI circuits. §This research monograph answers the need for a broad introduction to state-of-the-art clock skew scheduling algorithms from a circuit, graph, and mathematical optimization background. A detailed description of clock skew scheduling application on edge-triggered and level-sensitive circuits, synchronized with single and multi-phase clocking schemes, and formulated as linear programming (LP) and quadratic programming (QP) formulations are provided along with an analysis of optimal computer solution techniques. Theoretical limits of improvement in clock frequency through clock skew scheduling are highlighted. Hints and a preliminary implementation of a parallel skew scheduling application are also included. §Timing Optimization Through Clock Skew Scheduling contains sufficient detail for the advanced CAD algorithm developer, researcher and graduate student. Furthermore, with the material provided on timing properties and optimization, those readers with less background can also benefit from this book.