AL(5)

📦 version 5.1.1, in fedora 43, fedora 44

🌸 NAME 🌸

okay so bestie, welcome to AL(5) 💅 this is the page for al — the Alliance logical format. That's it, that's the whole name, and honestly? brevity is a vibe. We're in section 5, File Formats, and this is gonna be a whole journey so buckle up 🫶

🎀 ORIGIN 🎀

This software belongs to the ALLIANCE CAD SYSTEM, developed by the ASIM team at the LIP6 laboratory of Université Pierre et Marie CURIE, in Paris, France. Very demure, very Parisian, very iconic 🇫🇷✨

✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

So the .al format is the ALLIANCE format for the logical view of a cell. That's the whole point of it. And below, bestie, is the full BNF description — and I mean full, we are not skipping a single token, no cap 💀

Let's start with the top-level shape of a file:

file ::=
     version
     header
     connectors
     instances
     transistors
     signals
     crosstalk_capacitances
     end_of_file

Then the version and the header:

version ::= 'V ALLIANCE : ' version_number

header ::= 'H ' name ',' file_type ',' date
   /// name : name of the figure
   /// date : saving file date

The connectors — and note that a connector can carry a little list of physical nodes with it:

connectors ::= { connector }

connector ::= 'C ' name ',' connector_direction ','
              connector_type ',' net_num [list_of_physical_node]

list_of_physical_node ::= { ',' node_num }

Instances! And lowkey the cutest rule here: an instance is followed by his connectors 🥺

instances ::= { instance connectors }
   /// An instance is followed by his connectors

instance ::= 'I ' model_name ',' instance_name

Now the transistors, and this one is a chonk, so read every field:

transistors ::= { transistor }

transistor ::= 'T' type ',' lenght ',' width ',' drain ','
               grid ',' source ',' bulk ',' xs ',' xd ',' ps ',' pd
               ',' x ',' y [ ',' node_drain ',' node_grid ','
               node_source ',' node_bulk ] ',' trname

   /// drain : number of the net connected to the drain
   /// grid : number of the net connected to the grid
   /// source : number of the net connected to the source
   /// bulk : number of the net connected to the bulk
   /// xs, xd : To compute respectivly the source and
   ///          drain area
   /// ps, pd : perimeter of the source and drain
   /// x, y : coordinate of the transistor in a layout
   /// node_drain : number of the node connected to the drain
   /// node_grid : number of the node connected to the grid
   /// node_source : number of the node connected to the source
   /// node_bulk : number of the node connected to the bulk

Signals next — and signals can have resistances, capacitances, or both, in that order, each list optional:

signals ::= { signal }

signal := sig_index [ { resistance } ] [ { capacitance } ]

sig_index ::= 'S ' net_num ',' signal_type [ list_of_signal_name ]

list_of_signal_name ::= { ',' signal_name }

resistance := 'R ' layer ',' node1 ',' node2 ',' resi ',' capa ','
              x ',' y ',' dx ',' dy

capacitance := 'Q ' capa

   /// Each resistance is describe as a resistor beetwen two nodes
   /// connected to the ground with capacitor with a value of capa/2.
   /// Capacitance is the entire capacitance of the net to ground.

Then the crosstalk capacitances, and then we're done:

crosstalk_capacitances ::= { crosstalk_capacitance }

crosstalk_capacitance ::= K capa ',' sig1 ',' node1 ',' sig2 ',' node2

end_of_file ::= 'EOF'

Now the building blocks, all the little terminal definitions, bestie, every single one 🧚

version_number ::= number

file_type ::= 'L'

date ::= day '/' month '/' year

connector_direction ::= 'IN' | 'OUT' | 'INOUT' | 'UNKNOWN' |
                        'TRISTATE' | 'TRANSCV'
   /// in : input
   /// out : output
   /// inout : input and output
   /// unknown : no information is available
   /// tristate : tristate output
   /// transcv : tristate output and input

connector_type ::= 'EXTERNAL' | 'INTERNAL'

net_num ::= number

node_num ::= number

model_name ::= name

instance_name ::= name

type ::= 'N' | 'P'

lenght ::= float

width ::= float

drain ::= net_num

grid ::= net_num

source ::= net_num

bulk ::= net_num

node1 ::= node_num

node2 ::= node_num

sig1 ::= net_num

sig2 ::= net_num

xs ::= float

xd ::= float

ps ::= float

pd ::= float

x ::= float

y ::= float

dx ::= float

dy ::= float

trname :: name

layer ::= 'X' | 'PY' | 'A1' | 'A2' | 'CY' | 'CN' | 'CP' | 'CV'
          | 'CW' | 'CA' | 'RE'

signal_type ::= 'EXTERNAL' | 'INTERNAL'

capa ::= float

resi ::= float

signal_name ::= name

number ::= { '0' | '1'| '2' | '3' | '4' | '5' |
             '6' | '7'| '8' | '9' }

float ::= number [ '.' number ]

name ::= word

And that's the entire grammar, not a single production left behind. Obsessed 💖

🌈 EXAMPLES 🌈

💜 Example 1

This one is the representation of a nand with two inputs, extracted with Lynx at transistor level. Look at all those transistors living their best life:

V ALLIANCE : 6
H na2_y,L,29/ 3/99
C vss,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,2,1,9
C vdd,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,1,9,13
C i1,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,6,1,8
C i0,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,5,2,8
C f,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,3,1,11
T P,1,12,1,5,3,1,2,2,28,28,17,32.5,4,3,7,3,tr_00004
T P,1,12,3,6,1,1,2,2,28,28,11,32.5,7,7,1,2,tr_00003
T N,1,12,3,5,4,2,2,2,28,28,17,12.5,3,1,1,8,tr_00002
T N,1,12,4,6,2,2,2,2,28,28,11,12.5,1,2,2,5,tr_00001
S 6,EXTERNAL,i1
Q 0.020455
W 4,3,CV,0,0,7.2,17.6,0,0
W 6,5,CV,0,0,6.4,22.4,0,0
W 5,8,A2,0.4,0.00408,6.4,22.4,1.6,13.6
W 1,5,A2,0.6,0.006,6.4,2.4,1.6,20
W 3,6,A1,0.3,0.00168,6.4,17.6,1.6,4.8
W 4,7,PY,500,0.00315,8.8,17.6,0.8,8.4
W 2,4,PY,450,0.00285,8.8,10,0.8,7.6
S 5,EXTERNAL,i0
Q 0.020455
W 5,4,CV,0,0,15.2,17.6,0,0
W 7,6,CV,0,0,16,22.4,0,0
W 6,8,A2,0.4,0.00408,16,22.4,1.6,13.6
W 2,6,A2,0.6,0.006,16,2.4,1.6,20
W 4,7,A1,0.3,0.00168,16,17.6,1.6,4.8
W 5,3,PY,500,0.00315,13.6,17.6,0.8,8.4
W 1,5,PY,450,0.00285,13.6,10,0.8,7.6
S 4,INTERNAL
Q 0
S 3,EXTERNAL,f
Q 0.021985
W 3,4,CV,0,0,16,10.4,0,0
W 6,5,CV,0,0,11.2,17.6,0,0
W 8,7,CV,0,0,11.2,23.2,0,0
W 9,7,CV,0,0,11.2,28,0,0
W 5,11,A2,0.55,0.00552,11.2,17.6,1.6,18.4
W 1,5,A2,0.45,0.00456,11.2,2.4,1.6,15.2
W 10,9,A1,0.2,0.00126,11.2,24.4,1.6,3.6
W 8,10,A1,0,0.00042,11.2,23.2,1.6,1.2
W 6,8,A1,0.7,0.00161,11.2,17.6,0.8,5.6
W 2,6,A1,0.9,0.00207,11.2,10.4,0.8,7.2
W 2,4,A1,0.6,0.00138,11.2,10.4,4.8,0.8
S 2,EXTERNAL,vss
Q 0.0245
W 4,3,CV,0,0,6.4,1.6,0,0
W 7,6,CV,0,0,11.2,1.6,0,0
W 11,10,CV,0,0,16,1.6,0,0
W 3,2,CV,0,0,6.4,6.4,0,0
W 12,2,CV,0,0,6.4,10.4,0,0
W 3,12,A1,0.4,0.00224,6.4,4,1.6,6.4
W 10,9,A1,0,0.00174,16,4,2.4,6.4
W 6,10,A1,0,0.00348,11.2,4,4.8,6.4
W 3,6,A1,0,0.00348,6.4,4,4.8,6.4
W 1,3,A1,0,0.00174,4,4,2.4,6.4
S 1,EXTERNAL,vdd
Q 0.02846
W 5,1,CV,0,0,6.4,26.4,0,0
W 6,4,CV,0,0,16,26.4,0,0
W 7,1,CV,0,0,6.4,29.6,0,0
W 8,4,CV,0,0,16,29.6,0,0
W 14,10,CV,0,0,6.4,36,0,0
W 15,11,CV,0,0,11.2,36,0,0
W 16,12,CV,0,0,16,36,0,0
W 7,10,A1,0.3,0.00168,6.4,29.6,1.6,4.8
W 5,7,A1,0.2,0.00112,6.4,26.4,1.6,3.2
W 8,12,A1,0.3,0.00168,16,29.6,1.6,4.8
W 6,8,A1,0.2,0.00112,16,26.4,1.6,3.2
W 12,13,A1,0,0.00174,16,34.4,2.4,6.4
W 9,10,A1,0,0.00174,4,34.4,2.4,6.4
W 11,12,A1,0,0.00348,11.2,36,4.8,6.4
W 10,11,A1,0,0.00348,6.4,36,4.8,6.4
K 0.00213,1,1,2,1
K 0.00454,5,6,2,1
K 0.00199,6,8,2,1
EOF

🦋 Example 2

And this one? A xor designed with three cells. The way that it just works, three whole cells, chef's kiss 👑

V ALLIANCE : 6
H gxor,L,29/ 3/99
C vss,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,4,1,2,9,10
C vdd,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,6,1,2,10,3
C s,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,8,2
C b,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,5,5
C a,UNKNOWN,EXTERNAL,3,1
I ndrvp_y,auxsc3
C vss,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,4,8,9
C vdd,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,6,9,10
C i,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,5,4,9
C f,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,7,8,12
I mx2_y,s
C vss,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,4,4,8
C vdd,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,6,5,9
C t,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,8,1,3
C l1,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,7,1,11
C l0,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,2,4,8
C i1,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,3,11,13
C i0,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,5,1,8
I ndrvp_y,auxsc1
C vss,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,4,2,3
C vdd,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,6,2,4
C i,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,3,10,12
C f,UNKNOWN,INTERNAL,2,1,7
S 8,EXTERNAL,s
Q 0.0072
W 2,1,A2,0.55,0.00528,79.2,0,1.6,17.6
S 7,INTERNAL,auxsc3
Q 0.02142
W 3,2,CV,0,0,64.8,8.8,0,0
W 5,4,CV,0,0,74.4,8.8,0,0
W 7,6,CV,0,0,74.4,12.8,0,0
W 10,9,CV,0,0,88.8,12.8,0,0
W 9,8,A2,0.15,0.00144,88.8,12.8,1.6,4.8
W 6,10,A1,1.8,0.00414,74.4,12.8,14.4,0.8
W 4,7,A2,0.1,0.0012,74.4,8.8,1.6,4
W 2,1,A2,0.25,0.00264,64.8,8.8,1.6,8.8
W 3,5,A1,1.2,0.00276,64.8,8.8,9.6,0.8
S 6,EXTERNAL,vdd
Q 0.05453
W 7,6,CV,0,0,37.6,48,0,0
W 8,6,CV,0,0,37.6,51.2,0,0
W 6,5,A1,0.1,0.00754,37.6,49.6,10.4,6.4
W 4,6,A1,0,0.0029,33.6,49.6,4,6.4
W 8,3,A2,0.05,0.00203,37.6,51.2,3.2,5.6
W 7,8,A2,0.05,0.00116,37.6,48,3.2,3.2
W 1,7,A2,0.75,0.0174,37.6,0,3.2,48
S 5,EXTERNAL,b
Q 0.02922
W 3,2,CV,0,0,50.4,4.8,0,0
W 7,6,CV,0,0,98.4,4.8,0,0
W 6,4,A2,0.4,0.00384,98.4,4.8,1.6,12.8
W 5,6,A2,0.15,0.00144,98.4,0,1.6,4.8
W 2,1,A2,0.4,0.00384,50.4,4.8,1.6,12.8
W 3,7,A1,6,0.0138,50.4,4.8,48,0.8
S 4,EXTERNAL,vss
Q 0.05453
W 6,5,CV,0,0,44,17.6,0,0
W 6,7,CV,0,0,44,20.8,0,0
W 7,10,A2,0.55,0.01305,44,20.8,3.2,36
W 1,5,A2,0.25,0.00638,44,0,3.2,17.6
W 5,7,A2,0.05,0.00116,44,17.6,3.2,3.2
W 6,4,A1,0,0.0029,44,19.2,4,6.4
W 3,6,A1,0.1,0.00754,33.6,19.2,10.4,6.4
S 3,EXTERNAL,a
Q 0.03282
W 3,2,CV,0,0,16.8,8.8,0,0
W 5,4,CV,0,0,60,8.8,0,0
W 7,6,CV,0,0,60,12.8,0,0
W 9,8,CV,0,0,69.6,12.8,0,0
W 8,11,A2,0.15,0.00144,69.6,12.8,1.6,4.8
W 6,9,A1,1.2,0.00276,60,12.8,9.6,0.8
W 4,7,A2,0.1,0.0012,60,8.8,1.6,4
W 2,10,A2,0.25,0.00264,16.8,8.8,1.6,8.8
W 1,2,A2,0.25,0.00264,16.8,0,1.6,8.8
W 3,5,A1,5.4,0.01242,16.8,8.8,43.2,0.8
S 2,INTERNAL,auxsc1
Q 0.0225
W 3,2,CV,0,0,7.2,12.8,0,0
W 6,5,CV,0,0,55.2,12.8,0,0
W 5,4,A2,0.15,0.00144,55.2,12.8,1.6,4.8
W 2,1,A2,0.15,0.00144,7.2,12.8,1.6,4.8
W 3,6,A1,6,0.0138,7.2,12.8,48,0.8
S 1,INTERNAL,implicit
Q 0
EOF

👀 SEE ALSO 👀

  • mbk(3) — go read that one too bestie, iykyk 📚

🚨 BUG REPORT 🚨

This tool is under development at the ASIM department of the LIP6 laboratory. And fr fr, we need your feedback to improve documentation and tools 🫶 so like, tell them things, they're listening.

ASIM/LIP6 🎀 October 1, 1997 🎀 Release 5.0 — and that's the whole page, bestie, you ate it, periodt 💅✨

📦 where this page comes from