Pattern-matching-based X-architecture zero-skew clock tree construction with X-Flip technique and via delay consideration

As IC fabrication technologies get into nanometer era, clock routing gradually dominates chip performance indicated by delay, cost, and power consumption. X-architecture can be applied for routing metal wires in diagonal and rectilinear directions to overcome the above challenges due to wirelength reduction. In this paper, we present a clock routing algorithm, called PMXF, to construct an X-architecture zero-skew clock tree with minimum delay. An X-pattern library is defined for simplifying the merging procedure of the DME approach, an X-Flip technique is proposed for reducing the wirelength between the paired points, and a wire sizing technique is applied for achieving zero skew. In terms of clock delay, wirelength, power consumption, and via count listed in the experimental results on benchmarks, the proposed PMXF algorithm can respectively achieve more reductions compared with other previous X-architecture clock routing algorithms.