OpenMPL: An Open Source Layout Decomposer

TL;DR

OpenMPL is an open-source framework for layout decomposition in VLSI manufacturing, enabling flexible implementation of algorithms and reproducibility of results, thus advancing research in this critical step of the design flow.

Contribution

It introduces a modular, open-source layout decomposition framework that supports various algorithms and facilitates reproducibility and further research in the field.

Findings

Supports multiple state-of-the-art algorithms

Reproduces results on recognized benchmarks

Facilitates development of layout decomposition engines

Abstract

Multiple patterning lithography has been widely adopted in advanced technology nodes of VLSI manufacturing. As a key step in the design flow, multiple patterning layout decomposition (MPLD) is critical to design closure. Due to the NP-hardness of the general decomposition problem, various efficient algorithms have been proposed with high quality solutions. However, with increasingly complicated design flow and peripheral processing steps, developing a high-quality layout decomposer becomes more and more difficult, slowing down the further advancement in this field. This paper presents OpenMPL [1], an open-source layout decomposition framework, with well-separated peripheral processing and the core solving steps. We demonstrate the flexibility of the framework with efficient implementations of various state-of-the-art algorithms, which enable us to reproduce most of the recent results on widely-recognized benchmarks. We believe OpenMPL can pave the road for developing layout decomposition engines and stimulate further researches on this problem.