Will Physical compiler replace Design Compiler

[owen_li]

design compiler physical compiler

In our traditional design flow, we oftern use Design Compiler to make an sythesis. However, because of its unaccurate wire load model, the constraints are usually not fit for our design. Physical Compiler also can do synthesis and can estimate the physical imformation of the design without wire load model. So, will Physical compiler replace Design Compiler.? Which tool is more superior?

 

[avimit]

I reckon its not a question of superiority.
Yes Physcial compiler can do thins taking into account the physcial info, but still DC is a handy tool to which will tell you very quickly how is your RTL coding doing. If you put RTL directly into physcial compiler or similar tool, then you wouldn't have a chance to see quickly, is the the RTL which is bad, or its the floor plan which is making things worse.
We use DC to to a first pass synthesis, and then give netlist to physcial tool. So we know early in design process if the RTL is ok.
So at the momnet I reckon we need both. Cannot say much abt future, it will depend upon how the tools mature.

 

[rsrinivas]

However, because of its unaccurate wire load model, the constraints are usually not fit for our design. Physical Compiler also can do synthesis and can estimate the physical imformation of the design without wire load model. So, will Physical compiler replace Design Compiler.? Which tool is more superior?

Design compiler has made good improvements in analyzing designs considering wire load models.
u can google to find a paper on wire load models w.r.t DC.