Method for wire widening in circuit routing system

A computer implemented method for widening a wire in a layout that also includes a plurality of objects adjacent to the wire, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• dividing, using the computer, the wire into a plurality of segments, each segment having a length extending from a first end point to a second end point;
• for each of the plurality of segments,
• forming, using the computer, an expanded segment that overlaps with at least a region of an adjacent object, the expanded segment being an octagon having a characteristic width W such that four of eight vertices of the octagon is a distance D away from the first end point and the other four vertices is the distance D away from the second end point, with D being a fraction of W;
• identifying, using the computer, adjacent objects that overlap with the expanded segment;
• for each of the identified objects, forming, using the computer, an expanded object, the expanded object having a shape and size to enclose the identified object with additional spacing around the perimeter of the object;
• determining, using the computer, a largest overlap size from overlaps between the expanded segment and the expanded object;
• and
• reducing, using the computer, the characteristic width of the expanded segment by the largest overlap size to form an associated wide segment that does not overlap any of the adjacent objects;
• and
• replacing, using the computer, each segment of the wire with the associated wide segment to form a widened wire.

A computer system for performing wire widening in integrated circuit layoutthe computer system configured to:

• divide the wire into a plurality of segments, when the computer system is invoked to receive data representative of the integrated circuit layout, each of the plurality of segments having a length extending from a first end point to a second end point;
• for each of at least a subset of the plurality of segments, form an associated wide segment that does not overlap any adjacent objects;
• and
• replace each of the at least the subset of the plurality of segments of the wire with the associated wide segment to form a widened wire.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to:

• divide the wire into a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments having a length extending from a first end point to a second end point;
• for each of at least a subset of the plurality of segments, form an associated wide segment that does not overlap any adjacent objects;
• and
• replace each of the at least the subset of the plurality of segments of the wire with a corresponding wide segment to form a widened wire.