Title
FPGA-SPICE: A Simulation-Based Architecture Evaluation Framework for FPGAs
Abstract
In this paper, we developed a simulation-based architecture evaluation framework for field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), called FPGA-SPICE, which enables automatic layout-level estimation and electrical simulations of FPGA architectures. FPGA-SPICE can automatically generate Verilog and SPICE netlists based on realistic FPGA configurations and a high-level eTtensible Markup Language-based FPGA architectural description language. The outputted Verilog netlists can be used to generate layouts of full FPGA fabrics through a semicustom design flow. SPICE simulation decks can be generated at three levels of complexity, namely, full-chip-level, grid-level, and component-level, providing different tradeoff between accuracy and simulation time. In order to enable such level of analysis, we presented two SPICE netlist partitioning techniques: loads extraction and parasitic net activity estimation. Electrical simulations showed that averaged over the selected benchmarks, the grid-/component-level approach can achieve <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$6.1\times /7.5\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> execution speed-up with 9.9%/8.3% accuracy loss, respectively, compared to the full-chip level simulation. FPGA-SPICE was showcased through three different case studies: 1) an area breakdown analysis for static random access memory-based FPGAs, showing that configuration memories are a dominant factor; 2) a power breakdown comparison to analytical models, analyzing the source of accuracy loss; and 3) a robustness evaluation against process corners, studying their impact on energy consumption of full FPGA fabrics.
Year
DOI
Venue
2019
10.1109/TVLSI.2018.2883923
IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Systems
Keywords
Field
DocType
Field programmable gate arrays,Computer architecture,SPICE,Fabrics,Integrated circuit modeling,Routing,Tools
Netlist,Computer science,Process corners,Spice,Field-programmable gate array,Electronic engineering,Robustness (computer science),Design flow,Electronic design automation,Verilog,Computer engineering
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
27
3
1063-8210
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
2
0.39
0
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Xifan Tang15912.89
Edouard Giacomin2204.09
Giovanni De Micheli3102451018.13
Pierre-Emmanuel Gaillardon435555.32