Timing-Driven Physical Design for VLSI Circuits Using Resonant Rotary Clocking

Resonant clocking technologies are next-generation clocking technologies that provide low or controllable-skew, low-jitter and multi-gigahertz frequency clock signals with low power consumption. This paper describes a collection of circuit partitioning, placement and synchronization methodologies that enables the implementation of high speed, low power circuits synchronized with the resonant rotary clocking technology. Resonant rotary clocking technology inherently supports (and requires) non-zero clock skew operation, which permits further improved circuit performances. The proposed physical design flow entails integrated circuit partitioning and placement methodologies that permit the hierarchical application of non-zero clock skew system timing. This design flow is shown to be a computationally efficient implementation method.