OK, what’s this?
This page is the example part of another post, which explains the meaning of set_input_delay and set_output_delay in SDC timing constraints.
As mentioned on the other post, the relevant timing constraints were:
create_clock -name theclk -period 20 [get_ports test_clk] set_output_delay -clock theclk -max 8 [get_ports test_out] set_output_delay -clock theclk -min -3 [get_ports test_out] set_input_delay -clock theclk -max 4 [get_ports test_in] set_input_delay -clock theclk -min 2 [get_ports test_in]
set_input_delay -max timing analysis (setup)
Slack (MET) : 15.664ns (required time - arrival time)
Source: test_in
(input port clocked by theclk {rise@0.000ns fall@10.000ns period=20.000ns})
Destination: test_samp_reg/D
(rising edge-triggered cell FDRE clocked by theclk {rise@0.000ns fall@10.000ns period=20.000ns})
Path Group: theclk
Path Type: Setup (Max at Fast Process Corner)
Requirement: 20.000ns (theclk rise@20.000ns - theclk rise@0.000ns)
Data Path Delay: 2.465ns (logic 0.291ns (11.797%) route 2.175ns (88.203%))
Logic Levels: 1 (IBUF=1)
Input Delay: 4.000ns
Clock Path Skew: 2.162ns (DCD - SCD + CPR)
Destination Clock Delay (DCD): 2.162ns = ( 22.162 - 20.000 )
Source Clock Delay (SCD): 0.000ns
Clock Pessimism Removal (CPR): 0.000ns
Clock Uncertainty: 0.035ns ((TSJ^2 + TIJ^2)^1/2 + DJ) / 2 + PE
Total System Jitter (TSJ): 0.071ns
Total Input Jitter (TIJ): 0.000ns
Discrete Jitter (DJ): 0.000ns
Phase Error (PE): 0.000ns
Location Delay type Incr(ns) Path(ns) Netlist Resource(s)
------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
(clock theclk rise edge) 0.000 0.000 r
input delay 4.000 4.000
AE20 0.000 4.000 r test_in (IN)
net (fo=0) 0.000 4.000 test_in
AE20 IBUF (Prop_ibuf_I_O) 0.291 4.291 r test_in_IBUF_inst/O
net (fo=1, routed) 2.175 6.465 test_in_IBUF
SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE r test_samp_reg/D
------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
(clock theclk rise edge) 20.000 20.000 r
AE23 0.000 20.000 r test_clk (IN)
net (fo=0) 0.000 20.000 test_clk
AE23 IBUF (Prop_ibuf_I_O) 0.077 20.077 r test_clk_IBUF_inst/O
net (fo=1, routed) 1.278 21.355 test_clk_IBUF
BUFGCTRL_X0Y4 BUFG (Prop_bufg_I_O) 0.026 21.381 r test_clk_IBUF_BUFG_inst/O
net (fo=2, routed) 0.781 22.162 test_clk_IBUF_BUFG
SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE r test_samp_reg/C
clock pessimism 0.000 22.162
clock uncertainty -0.035 22.126
SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE (Setup_fdre_C_D) 0.003 22.129 test_samp_reg
-------------------------------------------------------------------
required time 22.129
arrival time -6.465
-------------------------------------------------------------------
slack 15.664
This analysis starts at time zero, adds the 4 ns (clock-to-output) that was specified in the max input delay constraint, and continues that data path at the fastest possible combination of process, voltage and temperature. Together with the FPGA’s own data path delay (2.465 ns), the total data path delay stands at 6.465 ns.
The clock path is the calculated, once again with the fastest possible combination, starting from the following clock at 20 ns. The clock travels from the input pin to the flip-flop (with no clock network delay compensation, since no PLL is involved), taking into account the calculated jitter. All in all, the clock path ends at 22.129 ns, which is 15.664 ns after the data arrived to the flip-flop, which is this constraint’s slack.
It’s simple to see from this analysis that the max input delay is the clock-to-output ( + board delay), as it’s added to the data path. So it’s basically how late the data path started. Note the “Max” part in the Path Type above.
set_input_delay -min timing analysis (hold)
Min Delay Paths -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Slack (VIOLATED) : -0.045ns (arrival time - required time) Source: test_in (input port clocked by theclk {rise@0.000ns fall@10.000ns period=20.000ns}) Destination: test_samp_reg/D (rising edge-triggered cell FDRE clocked by theclk {rise@0.000ns fall@10.000ns period=20.000ns}) Path Group: theclk Path Type: Hold (Min at Slow Process Corner) Requirement: 0.000ns (theclk rise@0.000ns - theclk rise@0.000ns) Data Path Delay: 3.443ns (logic 0.626ns (18.194%) route 2.817ns (81.806%)) Logic Levels: 1 (IBUF=1) Input Delay: 2.000ns Clock Path Skew: 5.351ns (DCD - SCD - CPR) Destination Clock Delay (DCD): 5.351ns Source Clock Delay (SCD): 0.000ns Clock Pessimism Removal (CPR): -0.000ns Clock Uncertainty: 0.035ns ((TSJ^2 + TIJ^2)^1/2 + DJ) / 2 + PE Total System Jitter (TSJ): 0.071ns Total Input Jitter (TIJ): 0.000ns Discrete Jitter (DJ): 0.000ns Phase Error (PE): 0.000ns Location Delay type Incr(ns) Path(ns) Netlist Resource(s) ------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- (clock theclk rise edge) 0.000 0.000 r input delay 2.000 2.000 AE20 0.000 2.000 r test_in (IN) net (fo=0) 0.000 2.000 test_in AE20 IBUF (Prop_ibuf_I_O) 0.626 2.626 r test_in_IBUF_inst/O net (fo=1, routed) 2.817 5.443 test_in_IBUF SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE r test_samp_reg/D ------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- (clock theclk rise edge) 0.000 0.000 r AE23 0.000 0.000 r test_clk (IN) net (fo=0) 0.000 0.000 test_clk AE23 IBUF (Prop_ibuf_I_O) 0.734 0.734 r test_clk_IBUF_inst/O net (fo=1, routed) 2.651 3.385 test_clk_IBUF BUFGCTRL_X0Y4 BUFG (Prop_bufg_I_O) 0.093 3.478 r test_clk_IBUF_BUFG_inst/O net (fo=2, routed) 1.873 5.351 test_clk_IBUF_BUFG SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE r test_samp_reg/C clock pessimism 0.000 5.351 clock uncertainty 0.035 5.387 SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE (Hold_fdre_C_D) 0.101 5.488 test_samp_reg ------------------------------------------------------------------- required time -5.488 arrival time 5.443 ------------------------------------------------------------------- slack -0.045
This analysis starts at time zero, adds the 2 ns (clock-to-output) that was specified in the min input delay constraint, and continues that data path at the slowest possible combination of process, voltage and temperature. Together with the FPGA’s own data path delay (3.443 ns), the total data path delay stands at 5.443 ns. It should be no surprise that the FPGA’s own delay is bigger compared with the fast analysis above.
The clock path is the calculated, now with the slowest possible combination, starting from the same clock edge at 0 ns. After all, this is a hold calculation, so the question is whether the mat wasn’t swept under the feet of the sampling flip-flop before it managed to sample it.
The clock travels from the input pin to the flip-flop (with no clock network delay compensation, since no PLL is involved), taking into account the calculated jitter. All in all, the clock path ends at 5.488 ns, which is 0.045 ns too late after the data switched. So the constraint was violated, with a negative slack of 0.045.
It’s simple to see from this analysis that the min input delay is the minimal clock-to-output, as it’s added to the data path. So it’s basically how early the data path may start. Note the “Min” part in the Path Type above.
It may come as a surprise that a 2 ns clock-to-output can violate a hold constraint. This shouldn’t be taken lightly — it can cause real problems.
The solution for this case would be to add a PLL to the clock path, which locks the global network’s clock to the input clock. This effectively means pulling it several nanoseconds earlier, which definitely solves the problem.
set_output_delay -max timing analysis (setup)
Slack (MET) : 2.983ns (required time - arrival time)
Source: test_out_reg/C
(rising edge-triggered cell FDRE clocked by theclk {rise@0.000ns fall@10.000ns period=20.000ns})
Destination: test_out
(output port clocked by theclk {rise@0.000ns fall@10.000ns period=20.000ns})
Path Group: theclk
Path Type: Max at Slow Process Corner
Requirement: 20.000ns (theclk rise@20.000ns - theclk rise@0.000ns)
Data Path Delay: 3.631ns (logic 2.583ns (71.152%) route 1.047ns (28.848%))
Logic Levels: 1 (OBUF=1)
Output Delay: 8.000ns
Clock Path Skew: -5.351ns (DCD - SCD + CPR)
Destination Clock Delay (DCD): 0.000ns = ( 20.000 - 20.000 )
Source Clock Delay (SCD): 5.351ns
Clock Pessimism Removal (CPR): 0.000ns
Clock Uncertainty: 0.035ns ((TSJ^2 + TIJ^2)^1/2 + DJ) / 2 + PE
Total System Jitter (TSJ): 0.071ns
Total Input Jitter (TIJ): 0.000ns
Discrete Jitter (DJ): 0.000ns
Phase Error (PE): 0.000ns
Location Delay type Incr(ns) Path(ns) Netlist Resource(s)
------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
(clock theclk rise edge) 0.000 0.000 r
AE23 0.000 0.000 r test_clk (IN)
net (fo=0) 0.000 0.000 test_clk
AE23 IBUF (Prop_ibuf_I_O) 0.734 0.734 r test_clk_IBUF_inst/O
net (fo=1, routed) 2.651 3.385 test_clk_IBUF
BUFGCTRL_X0Y4 BUFG (Prop_bufg_I_O) 0.093 3.478 r test_clk_IBUF_BUFG_inst/O
net (fo=2, routed) 1.873 5.351 test_clk_IBUF_BUFG
SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE r test_out_reg/C
------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE (Prop_fdre_C_Q) 0.223 5.574 r test_out_reg/Q
net (fo=1, routed) 1.047 6.622 test_out_OBUF
AK21 OBUF (Prop_obuf_I_O) 2.360 8.982 r test_out_OBUF_inst/O
net (fo=0) 0.000 8.982 test_out
AK21 r test_out (OUT)
------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
(clock theclk rise edge) 20.000 20.000 r
clock pessimism 0.000 20.000
clock uncertainty -0.035 19.965
output delay -8.000 11.965
-------------------------------------------------------------------
required time 11.965
arrival time -8.982
-------------------------------------------------------------------
slack 2.983
Since the purpose of this analysis is to measure the output delay, it starts off with the clock edge, follows it towards the flip-flop, and then along the data path. That sums up to the overall delay. Note that the “Path Type” doesn’t say it’s a setup calculation (to avoid confusion?) even though it takes the following clock (at 20 ns) into consideration.
The calculation takes place at the slowest possible combination of process, voltage and temperature (recall that the input setup calculation took place with the fastest one). Following the clock path, it’s evidently very similar to the clock path of the hold analysis for input delay, which is quite expected, as both are based upon the slow model.
The data path simply continues the clock path until the physical output is stable, calculated at 8.982 ns.
This is compared with the time of the following clock at 20 ns, minus the output delay. Minus the possible jitter (0.035 ns in the case above). Data arrived at 8.982 ns, the moment that counts is at ~12 ns, so there’s almost 3 ns slack.
This demonstrates why set_output_delay -max is the setup time of the receiver: The output delay is reduced from the following clock’s time position, and that’s the goal to meet. That’s exactly the definition of setup time: How long before the following clock the data must be stable.
set_output_delay -min timing analysis (hold)
Slack (MET) : 0.791ns (arrival time - required time)
Source: test_out_reg/C
(rising edge-triggered cell FDRE clocked by theclk {rise@0.000ns fall@10.000ns period=20.000ns})
Destination: test_out
(output port clocked by theclk {rise@0.000ns fall@10.000ns period=20.000ns})
Path Group: theclk
Path Type: Min at Fast Process Corner
Requirement: 0.000ns (theclk rise@0.000ns - theclk rise@0.000ns)
Data Path Delay: 1.665ns (logic 1.384ns (83.159%) route 0.280ns (16.841%))
Logic Levels: 1 (OBUF=1)
Output Delay: -3.000ns
Clock Path Skew: -2.162ns (DCD - SCD - CPR)
Destination Clock Delay (DCD): 0.000ns
Source Clock Delay (SCD): 2.162ns
Clock Pessimism Removal (CPR): -0.000ns
Clock Uncertainty: 0.035ns ((TSJ^2 + TIJ^2)^1/2 + DJ) / 2 + PE
Total System Jitter (TSJ): 0.071ns
Total Input Jitter (TIJ): 0.000ns
Discrete Jitter (DJ): 0.000ns
Phase Error (PE): 0.000ns
Location Delay type Incr(ns) Path(ns) Netlist Resource(s)
------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
(clock theclk rise edge) 0.000 0.000 r
AE23 0.000 0.000 r test_clk (IN)
net (fo=0) 0.000 0.000 test_clk
AE23 IBUF (Prop_ibuf_I_O) 0.077 0.077 r test_clk_IBUF_inst/O
net (fo=1, routed) 1.278 1.355 test_clk_IBUF
BUFGCTRL_X0Y4 BUFG (Prop_bufg_I_O) 0.026 1.381 r test_clk_IBUF_BUFG_inst/O
net (fo=2, routed) 0.781 2.162 test_clk_IBUF_BUFG
SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE r test_out_reg/C
------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
SLICE_X0Y1 FDRE (Prop_fdre_C_Q) 0.100 2.262 r test_out_reg/Q
net (fo=1, routed) 0.280 2.542 test_out_OBUF
AK21 OBUF (Prop_obuf_I_O) 1.284 3.826 r test_out_OBUF_inst/O
net (fo=0) 0.000 3.826 test_out
AK21 r test_out (OUT)
------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
(clock theclk rise edge) 0.000 0.000 r
clock pessimism 0.000 0.000
clock uncertainty 0.035 0.035
output delay 3.000 3.035
-------------------------------------------------------------------
required time -3.035
arrival time 3.826
-------------------------------------------------------------------
slack 0.791
This analysis is similar to the max output delay, only it’s calculated on the fastest possible combination of process, voltage and temperature, and against the same clock edge (and not the following one). So again, going from setup to hold, these are reversed. Once again, the clock path is very similar to the clock path of the setup analysis for input delay, which is quite expected, as both are based upon the fast model.
As before, the data path continues the clock path until the physical output is stable, calculated at 3.826 ns (note the difference with the slow path!).
This is compared with the time of the same clock at 0 ns, minus the output delay, minus the possible jitter (0.035 ns in the case above, not clear why it’s counted if it’s the same clock cycle, but anyhow). Recall that the min output delay was negative (-3 ns), which is why it appears as a positive number in the calculation.
Conclusion: Data was stable until 3.826 ns, and needs to be stable until 3.035. That’s fine, with a 0.791 ns slack.
This demonstrates why set_output_delay -min is minus the hold time of the receiver: Jitter aside, the given output delay with reversed sign is used as the time which the data path delay must exceed. In other words, the data must be stable for that long after the clock. This is the definition of hold time.