Hardware interview practice
Find fmax for a half-cycle timing path
A falling-edge launch to rising-edge capture path has -50 ps setup slack at a 900 ps period. Assume every non-period term stays fixed. Find the shortest passing period and maximum frequency.
Starting point
Question code
T_old = 900 ps
available half-cycle = T_old / 2
setup slack = -50 psReviewed example
Work through one case
Input
T=900 ps and slack=-50 psExpected output
Tmin=1000 ps, fmax=1 GHzThe current 450 ps half-cycle needs 50 ps more, so the required half-cycle is 500 ps and the full period is 1000 ps.
What to cover
Requirements
- Use the T/2 falling-to-rising setup budget.
- Add the 50 ps deficit to the existing half-cycle budget.
- Solve for the full period that gives zero slack.
- Report period in ps and frequency in GHz.
