An Analytical Approach to Tracking Endpoint Distribution
Target frequency should be treated as a physical-design bet, not a number that gets declared once and defended until tapeout. A block that misses timing by a few hard paths is different from a block whose TNS and violating endpoint count spread sharply when the period tightens. Frequency-vs-TNS sweeps, cell-library pressure checks, slack-sensitivity tests, and reusable PPA recipes give implementation teams evidence early enough to question the target before closure becomes a late ECO grind.
Yet another timing-closure article? Fair.
Most timing articles start after the frequency target is already accepted. The block is late. Setup is ugly. Someone asks whether the implementation team can “just close it.” The usual tools come out: cell sizing, buffering, useful skew, path grouping, placement cleanup, routing changes, ECO scripts.
Often, that is the right work. Sometimes, the frequency number itself is the problem.
Timing closure can hide that. Every issue looks local at...
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