SKILL Programming for IC Layout Design

Length : 2 days

Course Description

This advanced Engineer Explorer course provides a focused exploration of SKILL^® programming in the Virtuoso^® layout environment. You are required to have a working knowledge of SKILL programming and the Virtuoso Layout Editor or to complete the course prerequisites.

In this two-day course, you use the SKILL programming language to write code for layout design tasks for cell design, cell validation, library updates, and parameterized cells (Pcells). You also learn to

• Run example SKILL programs to automate those tasks
• Analyze key program constructs for each program
• Customize the programs to meet new requirements
• Explore options for enhancements to the programs

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, you will be able to:

Create and modify SKILL programs to

• Measure cellview database objects (polygons, paths, rectangles) for area and capacitance
• Hierarchically locate, highlight and report on I/O pads and cell locations
• Compare pins and pin attributes on two cellviews and interface using a custom form
• Copy a design and replace or update cell references in a design hierarchy
• Analyze a Parameterized cell (Pcell) library to locate and update each Pcell, its associated parameters and Component Description Format (CDF) using a custom tabbed form

Software Used in This Course

Software Release(s)

• IC 6.1.6

Course Agenda

Day 1

Cell Design: Measuring Cellview Data

• Run a program to report shape areas to reduce manual computations
• Implement a table data structure to make programming easier
• Create technology-independent code to reduce code maintenance
• Add labels to improve usability

Cell Design: Locating I/O Cell Data

• Run a program to locate instances of I/O cells based on cell names
• Implement regular expression pattern matching to locate I/O cells
• Enhance a program to determine the bond pad location at the top level

Cell Validation: Comparing Pins on Cellviews

• Run a program to match pins on two different views of the same cell
• Use a report field to display pin information
• Modify the program to process all cells in a design hierarchy

Day 2

Library and Design Updates: Copying a Design and Replacing Cell References

• Run the Library Manager copy utility
• Reference sub cells to new masters to update the design
• Run a SKILL program to copy, update references, and rename sub cells

Parameterized Cells: Analyzing Pcell Libraries

• Look up Component Description Format (CDF) information for Pcell parameters
• Display Pcell parameters with a tab field
• Link to Pcell documentation with a hypertext field

Audience

Prerequisites

You must have the

• Ability to develop or maintain SKILL programs

or you must have completed at least one the following courses:

• SKILL Language Programming Introduction

• SKILL Language Programming

Related Courses

• SKILL Language Programming Introduction

• SKILL Language Programming

• Advanced SKILL Language Programming

• Using Virtuoso Constraints Effectively

• Virtuoso Layout Suites Update Training

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