A method for controlling crosstalk, power and yield in
nanometer-technology integrated circuits ("ICs") is based on a
performance driven space optimization technique that minimizes the
coupling capacitance between the interconnecting wires. Given a routed IC
design, virtual compression-springs are inserted between all the elements
of the design creating a mesh of springs. The design is then perturbed,
or shaken, by transforming the spring system into a minimum-energy
problem, a solution for which reduces or eliminates crosstalk violations,
minimizes power and increases yield as the springs reach minimum energy
state. In a described method, the primitives of a given IC layout are
defined in terms of object points. In a first step, a mesh of virtual
compression springs connecting all the layout primitives is generated
from the object points. The spring constant for each virtual spring
embedded between interconnecting wires is chosen to follow a relationship
between a slack function and the separation distance between the
interconnecting wires. In a second step, the design is shaken by
minimizing the energy of the virtual compression-spring-loaded-system,
resulting in new object points and new positions for the springs and the
interconnecting wires.