How to use Cadence example in cadence_inst/tools.lnx86/dfII/samples/ROD/rodPcells for auto abutment?

OK, I've taken a look at your data.

First of all, I'm not convinced the right layers have been used in the pcells. I'm having to guess a bit because I'm not familiar with the layer names in the technology, but the diffusion layer used in the pcells is "NN" or "PP" (for NMOS or PMOS devices respectively). Taking a look at the technology file, my guess is that NN and PP are the implant layers, and "AA" is the diffusion (aka "active") layer. That said, in some places in the tech file it is marked as a diffusion layer, sometimes as a local interconnect - so it's not that clear what is supposed to be correct.

The reason why the abutment doesn't work is because the sample pcell devices get created with the abutment properties on the "diffusion" pins on the source and drain. The source and drain actually have two pins each; one for the metal, and one for the "diffusion" (so "NN" or "PP" in your case as you've selected them). The abutment properties only get added on the pins which are diffusion, because they need to be there all the time - and a consequence of abutment is that the metal pins might get turned off - so abutment is triggered based on connectivity on the diffusion layers.

In your tech file you have:

lxRules(

 lxExtractLayers(
 ;( list of layers or layer/purpose pairs  )
 ;( -------------------------------------  )
  ( P1            P2            CO            M1            V1            M2            V2            M3         )
 ) ;lxExtractLayers
...
)

The layers used for the diffusion pins are not listed. Because of that, Layout XL is not concerned with connectivity on the layers forming the "diffusion" pins - and so nothing will trigger abutment. If I update the lxExtractLayers to the following:

lxRules(

 lxExtractLayers(
 ;( list of layers or layer/purpose pairs  )
 ;( -------------------------------------  )
  ( P1            P2            NN PP CO            M1            V1            M2            V2            M3         )
 ) ;lxExtractLayers
...
)

Then abutment works. Of course, if it's really supposed to be "AA" that you used for the diffusion layer, you'd put "AA" in that list instead - and make your pcells use this as the diffusion layer. 

I may be completely wrong about the "AA" versus "NN"/"PP" layer in your technology, but at the very least whatever layer you use as the diffusion layer needs to be in the lxExtractLayers for abutment to work with the sample pcells.

Regards,

Andrew.

OK, I've taken a look at your data.

First of all, I'm not convinced the right layers have been used in the pcells. I'm having to guess a bit because I'm not familiar with the layer names in the technology, but the diffusion layer used in the pcells is "NN" or "PP" (for NMOS or PMOS devices respectively). Taking a look at the technology file, my guess is that NN and PP are the implant layers, and "AA" is the diffusion (aka "active") layer. That said, in some places in the tech file it is marked as a diffusion layer, sometimes as a local interconnect - so it's not that clear what is supposed to be correct.

The reason why the abutment doesn't work is because the sample pcell devices get created with the abutment properties on the "diffusion" pins on the source and drain. The source and drain actually have two pins each; one for the metal, and one for the "diffusion" (so "NN" or "PP" in your case as you've selected them). The abutment properties only get added on the pins which are diffusion, because they need to be there all the time - and a consequence of abutment is that the metal pins might get turned off - so abutment is triggered based on connectivity on the diffusion layers.

In your tech file you have:

lxRules(

 lxExtractLayers(
 ;( list of layers or layer/purpose pairs  )
 ;( -------------------------------------  )
  ( P1            P2            CO            M1            V1            M2            V2            M3         )
 ) ;lxExtractLayers
...
)

The layers used for the diffusion pins are not listed. Because of that, Layout XL is not concerned with connectivity on the layers forming the "diffusion" pins - and so nothing will trigger abutment. If I update the lxExtractLayers to the following:

lxRules(

 lxExtractLayers(
 ;( list of layers or layer/purpose pairs  )
 ;( -------------------------------------  )
  ( P1            P2            NN PP CO            M1            V1            M2            V2            M3         )
 ) ;lxExtractLayers
...
)

Then abutment works. Of course, if it's really supposed to be "AA" that you used for the diffusion layer, you'd put "AA" in that list instead - and make your pcells use this as the diffusion layer. 

I may be completely wrong about the "AA" versus "NN"/"PP" layer in your technology, but at the very least whatever layer you use as the diffusion layer needs to be in the lxExtractLayers for abutment to work with the sample pcells.

Regards,

Andrew.