Large-scale placement by grid-warping

Grid-warping is a new placement algorithm based on a strikingly simple idea: rather than move the gates to optimize their location, we elastically deform a model of the 2-0 chip surface on which the gates have been roughly placed, "stretching" it until the gates arange themselves to our liking. Put simply: we move the grid, not the gutes. Deforming the elastic grid is a surprisingly simple, lowdimensional nonlinear optimization, and augments a traditional quadratic formulation. A preliminary implementation, WARPI, is already competitive with most recently published placers, e.g., placements that average 4% better wirelength, 40% faster than GORDIAN-L-DOMINO. Categoriesand SubjectDescriptors B.7.2 [Integrated Circuits]: Design Aids-placement and routing. G.4 [Mathematical Software]: Algorithm Design and Analysis GeneralTerms Algorithms, Design Keywords Algorithms, Placement

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2004
• Where: DAC
• Authors: Zhong Xiu, James D. Z. Ma, Suzanne M. Fowler, Rob A. Rutenbar
• Keywords: Computer Architecture, DAC 2004, Lowdimensional Nonlinear Optimization, Simple Idea, Traditional Quadratic Formulation