Integration of Shift-Left Updates into Logic Synthesis and Macro Placement

The shift left methodology in Electronic Design Automation (EDA) presents a pathway for the creation of digital twins, facilitating the transition of subsequent physically-aware design processes into virtual environments. This shift empowers designers to establish stronger correlations and optimize their designs more effectively. However, it is crucial to identify when and how to implement this shift, especially considering the challenges in replicating subsequent behaviors accurately. Given that synthesis marks the initiation of the entire physical implementation phase, and macro placement serves as the starting point for intensive automated placement, we have pinpointed opportunities to introduce shift left updates to these critical stages. By incorporating a physically aware timing model into logic synthesis, we have significantly enhanced design quality in terms of timing. Additionally, by preemptively considering macro-cell connections as a co-optimization target, improvements have been observed in routing length and congestion, leading to more efficient designs.