Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Timing Analyzer

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Date 4/01/2024
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Document Table of Contents
Document Table of Contents x
Answers to Top FAQs 1. Timing Analysis Introduction 2. Using the Quartus® Prime Timing Analyzer A. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides
1. Timing Analysis Introduction x
1.1. What's New In This Version 1.2. Timing Analysis Basic Concepts 1.3. Timing Analysis Overview Document Revision History
1.2. Timing Analysis Basic Concepts x
1.2.1. Timing Path and Clock Analysis 1.2.2. Clock Setup Analysis 1.2.3. Clock Hold Analysis 1.2.4. Recovery and Removal Analysis 1.2.5. Multicycle Path Analysis 1.2.6. Metastability Analysis 1.2.7. Timing Pessimism 1.2.8. Clock-As-Data Analysis 1.2.9. Multicorner Timing Analysis 1.2.10. Time Borrowing
1.2.1. Timing Path and Clock Analysis x
1.2.1.1. The Timing Netlist 1.2.1.2. Timing Paths 1.2.1.3. Data and Clock Arrival Times 1.2.1.4. Launch and Latch Edges
1.2.5. Multicycle Path Analysis x
1.2.5.1. Multicycle Clock Hold 1.2.5.2. Multicycle Clock Setup
1.2.10. Time Borrowing x
1.2.10.1. Time Borrowing Limitations 1.2.10.2. Time Borrowing with Latches 1.2.10.3. Enabling Time Borrowing Optimization
2. Using the Quartus® Prime Timing Analyzer x
2.1. Using Timing Constraints throughout the Design Flow 2.2. Timing Analysis Flow 2.3. Applying Timing Constraints 2.4. Timing Constraint Descriptions 2.5. Timing Report Descriptions 2.6. Scripting Timing Analysis 2.7. Using the Quartus® Prime Timing Analyzer Document Revision History 2.8. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guide: Timing Analyzer Archive
2.2. Timing Analysis Flow x
2.2.1. Step 1: Specify General Timing Analyzer Settings 2.2.2. Step 2: Specify Timing Constraints 2.2.3. Step 3: Run the Timing Analyzer 2.2.4. Step 4: Analyze Timing Reports
2.2.2. Step 2: Specify Timing Constraints x
2.2.2.1. Specifying SDC-on-RTL Timing Constraints 2.2.2.2. Specifying Conventional SDC Timing Constraints 2.2.2.3. Specifying Synthesis-Only SDC Timing Constraints
2.2.3. Step 3: Run the Timing Analyzer x
2.2.3.1. Running Post-Synthesis Early Timing Analysis 2.2.3.2. Running Post-Fit Timing Analysis
2.2.3.2. Running Post-Fit Timing Analysis x
2.2.3.2.1. Setting the Operating Conditions for Timing Analysis 2.2.3.2.2. Promoting Critical Warnings to Errors
2.2.4. Step 4: Analyze Timing Reports x
2.2.4.1. Cross-Probing with Design Assistant 2.2.4.2. Launching Design Assistant from Timing Analyzer 2.2.4.3. Locating Timing Paths in Other Tools 2.2.4.4. Correlating Constraints to the Timing Report
2.2.4.1. Cross-Probing with Design Assistant x
2.2.4.1.1. Cross-Probing from Design Assistant to Timing Analyzer
2.3. Applying Timing Constraints x
2.3.1. Recommended Initial Conventional SDC Constraints 2.3.2. Example Circuit and Conventional SDC File 2.3.3. SDC File Precedence 2.3.4. Iteratively Modifying Constraints 2.3.5. Applying Entity-Bound Timing Constraints 2.3.6. Constraining Design Partition Ports 2.3.7. Using Fitter Overconstraints
2.3.1. Recommended Initial Conventional SDC Constraints x
2.3.1.1. Create Clock (create_clock) 2.3.1.2. Derive PLL Clocks (derive_pll_clocks) 2.3.1.3. Derive Clock Uncertainty (derive_clock_uncertainty) 2.3.1.4. Set Clock Groups (set_clock_groups)
2.3.5. Applying Entity-Bound Timing Constraints x
2.3.5.1. Using Entity-Based SDC-on-RTL Constraints 2.3.5.2. Using Entity-Bound SDC Files
2.3.5.1. Using Entity-Based SDC-on-RTL Constraints x
2.3.5.1.1. Targeting Constraints to Module Inputs and Outputs 2.3.5.1.2. Entity Based SDC-on-RTL Constraint Scope 2.3.5.1.3. Automatic Scope Example for SDC-on-RTL 2.3.5.1.4. Manual Scope Example for SDC-on-RTL
2.3.5.2. Using Entity-Bound SDC Files x
2.3.5.2.1. Entity-Bound SDC Constraint Scope 2.3.5.2.2. Automatic Scope Entity-bound Constraint Example 2.3.5.2.3. Manual Scope Entity-bound Constraint Example 2.3.5.2.4. Exporting a Design Partition with Entity-bound Constraints 2.3.5.2.5. Importing a Design Partition with Entity-bound Constraints
2.3.6. Constraining Design Partition Ports x
2.3.6.1. Timing Analysis of Imported Compilation Results
2.4. Timing Constraint Descriptions x
2.4.1. Clock Constraints 2.4.2. I/O Constraints 2.4.3. Delay and Skew Constraints 2.4.4. Timing Exception Constraints 2.4.5. Delay Annotation
2.4.1. Clock Constraints x
2.4.1.1. Creating Base Clocks 2.4.1.2. Creating Virtual Clocks 2.4.1.3. Creating Generated Clocks (create_generated_clock) 2.4.1.4. Deriving PLL Clocks 2.4.1.5. Creating Clock Groups (set_clock_groups) 2.4.1.6. Accounting for Clock Effect Characteristics 2.4.1.7. Constraining CDC Paths
2.4.1.1. Creating Base Clocks x
2.4.1.1.1. Automatic Clock Detection and Constraint Creation
2.4.1.2. Creating Virtual Clocks x
2.4.1.2.1. Specifying I/O Interface Uncertainty 2.4.1.2.2. I/O Interface Clock Uncertainty Example
2.4.1.3. Creating Generated Clocks (create_generated_clock) x
2.4.1.3.1. Clock Divider Example (-divide_by) 2.4.1.3.2. Clock Multiplexer Example
2.4.1.5. Creating Clock Groups (set_clock_groups) x
2.4.1.5.1. Exclusive Clock Groups (-logically_exclusive or -physically_exclusive) 2.4.1.5.2. Asynchronous Clock Groups (-asynchronous) 2.4.1.5.3. set_clock_groups Constraint Tips
2.4.1.6. Accounting for Clock Effect Characteristics x
2.4.1.6.1. Set Clock Latency (set_clock_latency) 2.4.1.6.2. Clock Uncertainty
2.4.2. I/O Constraints x
2.4.2.1. Input Constraints (set_input_delay) 2.4.2.2. Output Constraints (set_output_delay)
2.4.3. Delay and Skew Constraints x
2.4.3.1. Advanced I/O Timing and Board Trace Model Delay 2.4.3.2. Maximum Skew (set_max_skew) 2.4.3.3. Net Delay (set_net_delay)
2.4.4. Timing Exception Constraints x
2.4.4.1. Timing Exception Precedence 2.4.4.2. False Paths (set_false_path) 2.4.4.3. Minimum and Maximum Delays 2.4.4.4. Multicycle Paths 2.4.4.5. Multicycle Exception Examples
2.4.4.4. Multicycle Paths x
2.4.4.4.1. Common Multicycle Applications 2.4.4.4.2. Relaxing Setup with Multicycle (set_multicyle_path) 2.4.4.4.3. Accounting for a Phase Shift (-phase)
2.4.4.5. Multicycle Exception Examples x
2.4.4.5.1. Default Multicycle Analysis 2.4.4.5.2. End Multicycle Setup = 2 and End Multicycle Hold = 0 2.4.4.5.3. End Multicycle Setup = 2 and End Multicycle Hold = 1 2.4.4.5.4. Same Frequency Clocks with Destination Clock Offset 2.4.4.5.5. Destination Clock Frequency is a Multiple of the Source Clock Frequency 2.4.4.5.6. Destination Clock Frequency is a Multiple of the Source Clock Frequency with an Offset 2.4.4.5.7. Source Clock Frequency is a Multiple of the Destination Clock Frequency 2.4.4.5.8. Source Clock Frequency is a Multiple of the Destination Clock Frequency with an Offset
2.5. Timing Report Descriptions x
2.5.1. Report Fmax Summary 2.5.2. Report Timing 2.5.3. Report Timing By Source Files 2.5.4. Report Data Delay 2.5.5. Report Net Delay 2.5.6. Report Clocks and Clock Network 2.5.7. Report Clock Transfers 2.5.8. Report Metastability 2.5.9. Report CDC Viewer 2.5.10. Report Asynchronous CDC 2.5.11. Report Logic Depth 2.5.12. Report Neighbor Paths 2.5.13. Report Register Spread 2.5.14. Report Route Net of Interest 2.5.15. Report Retiming Restrictions 2.5.16. Report Register Statistics 2.5.17. Report Pipelining Information 2.5.18. Report Time Borrowing Data 2.5.19. Report Exceptions and Exceptions Reachability 2.5.20. Report Bottlenecks 2.5.21. Check Timing 2.5.22. Report SDC
2.5.13. Report Register Spread x
2.5.13.1. Registers with High Timing Path Endpoint Tension 2.5.13.2. Registers with High Immediate Fan-Out Tension
2.5.20. Report Bottlenecks x
2.5.20.1. Specifying Custom Bottleneck Criteria
2.6. Scripting Timing Analysis x
2.6.1. The quartus_sta Executable 2.6.2. The quartus_staw Executable 2.6.3. Collection Commands
2.6.3. Collection Commands x
2.6.3.1. Wildcard Characters 2.6.3.2. Adding and Removing Collection Items 2.6.3.3. Query of Collections 2.6.3.4. Using the get_pins Command
Answers to Top FAQs
1. Timing Analysis Introduction
2. Using the Quartus® Prime Timing Analyzer
A. Quartus® Prime Pro Edition User Guides

2.5.10. Report Asynchronous CDC

The Timing Analyzer’s Reports > Clock Domain Crossings > Report Asynchronous CDC... command allows you to classify and report all asynchronous clock-domain-crossing (CDC) transfers in your design. Asynchronous CDCs include single-bit transfers, multibit transfers, and asynchronous reset CDCs. Designs often contain unintended CDCs or transfers. Use this report to ensure that the Timing Analyzer correctly detects all CDCs.
Table 31.  Report Asynchronous CDC Information Settings
Option Available Settings
Clocks Filters the report to only show CDCs that originate from From clock and terminate at To clock.
Targets Filters the report to only show CDCs that originate from From register and terminate at To register. Both the From and To must be registers. This option is optional with the Clocks option.
Entries Limits the number of entries that are reported per CDC category
Detail Chooses whether to show a summary of all CDC’s or give detail on each individual CDC
CDC Categories Specifies the CDC categories to be reported.
Report panel name

Specifies the name of the report panel. You can optionally enable File name to write the information to a file. If you append .htm or .html as a suffix, the Timing Analyzer produces the report as HTML. If you enable File name, you can overwrite or append the file with latest data.

Tcl command

Displays the Tcl syntax that corresponds with the GUI options you select. You can copy the command from the Console into a Tcl file.

Figure 161. Report Asynchronous CDC Summary View


The summary view of the Asynchronous CDC Report provides an overview of the number of CDC’s that fall into each category in your design. CDC Count gives the number of topologies detected for a category. Total Transfer Width shows the total number of CDC crossings for a category. This value is different than CDC Count for multibit CDC’s because each topology consists of multiple crossings.

The full view of the Asynchronous CDC report shows the source and destination registers and clocks for each detected CDC topology in your design. You may click on any row of this report. Clicking on a row that contains the name of a CDC category brings up the description for that category and associated Design Assistant rules that check for such topologies. Clicking on a row that contains a CDC displays detailed information on that CDC in the CDC Statistics table. The information available varies depending on the topology of the CDC.

Figure 162. Report Asynchronous CDC Full View
Figure 163. Statistics Table Showing Detailed Information on Each CDC

In the Asynchronous CDC Full Report panel, the All Source Clocks (Synch/Asynch) column displays all clocks driving all source nodes of a synchronizer chain, regardless of whether the transfers are synchronous or asynchronous. There can be asynchronous and synchronous transfers into the head of a synchronizer chain if the paths go through combinational logic before the head of the synchronizer chain. For example, Figure xx shows a circuit with both asynchronous and synchronous transfers into a synchronizer chain. For this example, the Asynchronous CDC Full Report lists both clkA and clkB as source clocks of the synchronizer chain, even though clkB is a synchronous transfer.

Figure 164. Circuit with Asynchronous and Synchronous Transfers to a Synchronizer Chain


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