Critical path, false path, and multicycle path

Critical path

The critical path is considered that timing-sensitive to the functional path which introduces the longest delay in the design. There may be some delay in the timing path from the clock to the first flip output. flop If the delay is shorter than the clock period, under the assumption that both flip-flops have the same clock, the timing criterion is met; otherwise, it is violated. The critical path is the one that has the greatest delay.

False path

When no data is transferred from the start to the endpoint, this path is known as a false path. The designer purposefully incorporated this channel to provide a connection between asynchronous circuits. For instance, two D flip-flops cannot be enabled simultaneously in a design.

Multi-cycling path

When the generation of data, transfer of data, and computation of data take place in more than one clock cycle or the data takes more than one cycle to travel from the start point to the endpoint is known as a multi-cycling path.

What do you mean by timing path? What are the start and endpoints?

Different timing paths and path delays are examined for static timing analysis. Path delays are computed using gate delays and net delays. The data is launched (the start point) and sent through utilizing combinational components in the timing path. As soon as it encounters any sequential component (the endpoint), the data stops.

If there are sequential components at both endpoints that are triggered by an asynchronous circuit, i.e., using two distinct clocks, then the LCM of both clock periods is taken into account for setup and hold time analysis. The clock pulse’s LCM can be used to investigate the launch and captured edge.