A novel and efficient timing-driven global router for standard cell layout design based on critical network concept

This paper presents a novel timing-driven global routing algorithm for standard cell (SC) layout design based on a critical network concept. The essence of this algorithm is different from that of the typical existing methods, such as the nets-based method and the critical-path-based method. The timing optimization strategy presented in this algorithm is more optimal than the typical existing ones, which makes it possible to reduce the delay in an overall survey. This algorithm has been implemented and tested by MCNC benchmark circuits in this paper. We compared the experimental results between our algorithm and the existing ones. The experimental results show that this algorithm is able to control the delay of the circuit efficiently, and causes little negative effect on other optimizing objectives.