MCG: a correct-by-design multichip module router with crosstalk avoidance

A new multilayer multichip module router, MCG, based on a global approach that allows the incorporation of electrical, power, and delay constraints is described. In comparisons with other routers such as V4R and SLICE, the MCG router has shown substantial improvement in routing density, number of layers, number of vias, and total interconnect length on industrial benchmarks. In addition, it is one of the first routing tools that efficiently incorporates sophisticated noise models during the routing process. Prior techniques have primarily relied upon post-routing analysis followed by rip-up and re-route or have employed simplistic models during routing. These two approaches tend to result in significant re-design and thus delay the prototyping process or result in overly conservative designs. The approach presented here overcomes these deficiencies while providing higher quality routing solutions. In addition, it has been shown that this routing approach is applicable to high-density printed circuit board routing and has been successfully adopted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for a board that will be launched by NASA in 1996 as part of the Pathfinder mission. This mission will place an autonomous vehicle on Mars