Abstract: A particle swarm optimization algorithm is presented for the layout of IC design. Particle swarm optimization based on swarm intelligence is a new evolutionary computational tool and is successfully applied in function optimization, neural network design, classification, pattern recognition, signal processing, robot technology and so on. A modified algorithm is presented and applied to the layout of IC design. For a given layout plane, first of all, this algorithm generates the corresponding grid group by barriers and nets’ports with the thought of gridless net routing, establishes the initialization fuzzy matrix, then utilizes the global optimization character to find out the best layout route only if it exits. The results of model simulation indicate that the PSO algorithm is feasible and efficient in IC layout design.

Key words: particle swarm optimization algorithm, gridless net routing, layout optimization, Prufer number