Hi

The world of digital VLSI design is constantly evolving, and keeping up with the latest techniques and tools is essential for success. The STA workshop provides a comprehensive and hands-on approach to learning about STA, making it the perfect opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of this critical aspect of digital design.

The workshop will cover a wide range of topics. Below are the some topics from Day 1 of the workshop:

1. STA Definition: STA stands for Static Timing Analysis. It is a verification methodology used in digital VLSI design to determine the timing characteristics of a digital circuit. It is used to determine the timing margins of a design and ensure that the design meets the specified timing requirements.
2. Timing Paths: Timing paths are the sequences of gates and interconnects in a digital circuit that transmit a signal from its source to its destination. The timing of a path is the time taken for the signal to travel from source to destination.
3. Timing path elements: The timing path elements are the individual components (gates, interconnects, flip-flops, etc.) that make up the timing path. The timing of each element affects the overall timing of the path.
4. Setup & Hold Checks: Setup and hold checks are a critical part of STA. The setup time is the amount of time before the clock edge that a signal must be stable for it to be captured correctly. The hold time is the amount of time after the clock edge that the signal must remain stable for it to be captured correctly.
5. Slack Calculation: Slack is the amount of time by which a timing path meets or violates its specified timing requirement. Positive slack indicates that the timing path meets its requirement, while negative slack indicates that the timing path violates its requirement. Slack calculation is an important aspect of STA as it helps determine the timing margin of a design.
6. SDC Overview: SDC stands for Synopsys Design Constraints. It is a constraint file that provides information about the timing requirements of a digital design. The SDC file is used as input to STA tools to perform timing analysis.
7. Clocks: Clocks are a fundamental aspect of digital design, as they are used to synchronize the operations of digital circuits. The frequency and duty cycle of clocks are critical factors that affect the timing of digital circuits.
8. Generated Clocks: Generated clocks are clocks that are derived from other clocks in a digital design. They are used to generate specific clock signals for different parts of the design.
9. Boundary Constraints: Boundary constraints are timing requirements that are specified at the boundary between different blocks or modules in a digital design. These constraints are used to ensure that the timing of the blocks meets the specified requirements and that the blocks operate correctly together.

The OpenSTA tool is a powerful and widely used opensource tool for STA, and the workshop will provide a comprehensive introduction to its usage and capabilities. You will learn about the inputs required for OpenSTA and how to create constraints for your design, as well as how to run the OpenSTA script to perform timing analysis on your design. With the knowledge and skills gained from this workshop, you will be well-equipped to perform STA on your own designs with confidence.

Registration closes in 4-days. Here's the link with more details:

https://www.vlsisystemdesign.com/sign-off-timing-analysis-basics-to-advanced/