Adding Timing Exceptions between Asynchronous Clocks - 2021.2 English

Versal ACAP System Integration and Validation Methodology Guide (UG1388)

Document ID
UG1388
Release Date
2021-11-19
Version
2021.2 English

Timing paths in which the source and destination clocks originate from different primary clocks or have no common node, no common phase, or no common period must be treated as asynchronous clocks. In this case, the skew can be extremely large, making it impossible to close timing.

You must review all timing paths between asynchronous clocks to ensure the following:

  • Proper asynchronous clock domain crossing circuitry (report_cdc)
  • Timing exception definitions that ignore timing analysis (set_clock_groups, set_false_path) or ignore skew (set_max_delay -datapath_only)

You can use the Clock Interaction Report (report_clock_interaction) to help identify clocks that are asynchronous and are missing proper timing exceptions.

Note: For more information, see this link in the Versal ACAP Hardware, IP, and Platform Development Methodology Guide (UG1387).
Figure 1. Asynchronous CDC Paths with Proper CDC Circuitry and No Common Node