How To Read SDF (Standard Delay Format) - Part5

In the last few articles (PART 1, PART 2 and PART 3), we have discussed the following things

• SDF different sections and different construct - In PART 2
• Cell Section details - In PART 3
• Delay Details in SDF - In PART 4

Now. it's the time to discuss about the SDF using an example.

Lets discuss the below circuit.

As a part of SDF, if you remember, we have discussed in PART 2 - that there is a HEADER section, Then CELL Section. In our circuit, there are 5 instance of Cells - r1, r2, r3, u1 & u2. These cells are mapped with Library as (This information you can get from .lib or from .v file)

r1, r2 and r3 -> DFF_X1
u1 -> BUF_X1
u2 -> AND2_X1

Header Section - marked as RED Color
CELL Section where we are talking about interconnect Delays - marked as GREEN color
CELL Section with respect to Flipflops - marked as BLUE color
CELL Section with respect to Buffer - marked as BLACK color
CELL Section with respect to AND gate - marked as LIGHT GREEN color.

And that's all the construct.

(DELAYFILE
  (SDFVERSION "OVI 2.1")
  (DESIGN "vlsiexpert")
  (DATE "Thu Dec 12 20:33:26 2019")
  (VENDOR "vlsiexpert")
  (PROGRAM "customized")
  (VERSION "01")
  (DIVIDER /)
  (VOLTAGE 2.25:2.25:2.25)
  (PROCESS "1.000:1.000:1.000")
  (TEMPERATURE 125.00:125.00:125.00)
  (TIMESCALE 1ns)

  (CELL
   (CELLTYPE "vlsiexpert")
   (INSTANCE)
   (DELAY
    (ABSOLUTE
// Offset in1 vs in2, rise vs fall arrivals so results are deterministic.
     (INTERCONNECT in1 r1/D (0.011:0.011:0.011) (0.01:0.01:0.01))
     (INTERCONNECT in2 r2/D (0.021:0.021:0.021) (0.02:0.02:0.02))
     (INTERCONNECT clk1 r1/CK (0.0:0.0:0.0) (0.0:0.0:0.0))
     (INTERCONNECT clk2 r2/CK (0.0:0.0:0.0) (0.0:0.0:0.0))
     (INTERCONNECT clk3 r3/CK (0.0:0.0:0.0) (0.0:0.0:0.0))
     (INTERCONNECT r1/Q u2/A1 (0.0:0.0:0.0) (0.0:0.0:0.0))
     (INTERCONNECT r2/Q u1/A (0.0:0.0:0.0) (0.0:0.0:0.0))
     (INTERCONNECT u1/Z u2/A2 (0.0:0.0:0.0) (0.0:0.0:0.0))
     (INTERCONNECT u2/ZN r3/D (0.0:0.0:0.0) (0.0:0.0:0.0))
     (INTERCONNECT r3/Q out (0.0:0.0:0.0) (0.0:0.0:0.0))
    )
   )
 )

 (CELL
  (CELLTYPE "DFF_X1")
  (INSTANCE r1)
  (DELAY
   (ABSOLUTE
    (IOPATH CK Q (1:1:1) (1.1:1.1:1.1))
   )
  )
  (TIMINGCHECK
   (SETUP D (posedge CK) (.5:.5:.5))
   (HOLD D (posedge CK) (.1:.1:.1))
   (PERIOD (posedge CK) (1.0:2.0:3.0))
  )
 )

 (CELL
  (CELLTYPE "DFF_X1")
  (INSTANCE r2)
  (DELAY
   (ABSOLUTE
    (IOPATH CK Q (1:1:1) (1.1:1.1:1.1))
   )
  )
  (TIMINGCHECK
   (SETUP D (posedge CK) (.5:.5:.5))
   (HOLD D (posedge CK) (.1:.1:.1))
   (PERIOD (posedge CK) (1.0:2.0:3.0))
  )
 )

 (CELL
  (CELLTYPE "DFF_X1")
  (INSTANCE r3)
  (DELAY
   (ABSOLUTE
    (IOPATH CK Q (1:1:1) (1.1:1.1:1.1))
   )
  )
  (TIMINGCHECK
   (SETUP D (posedge CK) (.5:.5:.5))
   (HOLD D (posedge CK) (.1:.1:.1))
   (PERIOD (posedge CK) (1.0:2.0:3.0))
  )
 )

 (CELL
  (CELLTYPE "BUF_X1")
  (INSTANCE u1)
  (DELAY
   (ABSOLUTE
    (IOPATH A Z (1:1:1) (1.1:1.1:1.1))
   )
  )
 )

 (CELL
  (CELLTYPE "AND2_X1")
  (INSTANCE u2)
  (DELAY
   (ABSOLUTE
    (IOPATH A1 ZN (1:1:1) (1.1:1.1:1.1))
    (IOPATH A2 ZN (1:1:1) (1.1:1.1:1.1))
   )
  )
 )

)

Note:

• In the Interconnect Delay, SDF has delays of all 10 wires/interconnects.
• Input port to Reg input D pin (in1 to r1/D , in2 to r2/D)
• Clock_source to Clock_input pin of Register (clk1 to r1/CK, clk2 to r2/CK, clk3 to r3/CK)
• Reg output Q pin to Output port (r3/Q to out)
• All internal combinational nets
• For all flipflop we have all required info which we need from .Lib
• Clock to Q delay
• Setup and Hold constraint
• Positive Edge or Negative Edge triggered Flipflop
• Clock Time period information
• For all other logic cells, we have following information
• Cell Rising and Falling delay
• Cell - Min, Max and Typical Delay
• Input pin - output pin specific delay (also know as ARC delay - like in case of AND - a->y and b-y)