IBM POWER6 microprocessor physical design and design methodology

  • Authors:

  • R. Berridge;R. M. Averill, III;A. E. Barish;M. A. Bowen;P. J. Camporese;J. DiLullo;P. E. Dudley;J. Keinert;D. W. Lewis;R. D. Morel;T. Rosser;N. S. Schwartz;P. Shephard;H. H. Smith;D. Thomas;P. J. Restle;J. R. Ripley;S. L. Runyon;P. M. Williams

  • Affiliations:

  • IBM Systems and Technology Group, Austin, Texas;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Poughkeepsie, New York;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Poughkeepsie, New York;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Poughkeepsie, New York;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Poughkeepsie, New York;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Austin, Texas;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Poughkeepsie, New York;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Boeblingen Development Laboratory, Boeblingen, Germany;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Poughkeepsie, New York;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Austin, Texas;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Austin, Texas;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Austin, Texas;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Austin, Texas;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Poughkeepsie, New York;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina;IBM Research Division, Thomas J. Watson Research Center, New York;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Austin, Texas;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Austin, Texas;IBM Systems and Technology Group, Hopewell Junction, New York

  • Venue:
  • IBM Journal of Research and Development
  • Year:
  • 2007

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Abstract

The IBM POWER6™ microprocessor is a 790 million-transistor chip that runs at a clock frequency of greater than 4 GHz. The complexity and size of the POWER6 microprocessor, together with its high operating frequency, present a number of significant challenges. This paper describes the physical design and design methodology of the POWER6 processor. Emphasis is placed on aspects of the design methodology, technology, clock distribution, integration, chip analysis, power and performance, random logic macro (RLM), and design data management processes that enabled the design to be completed and the project goals to be met.