The Toolbox for High-Performance CPU Design

This paper reviews the myriad tool and methodology innovations that went into the CPU design system used to develop the the Intel microarchitecture code name Nehalem and Intel microarchitecture code name Westmere products at Intel. It also presents design tool and flow innovations from the beginning of design to the final production of manufacturing masks. Additionally, it describes enhanced techniques for moving a CPU design to a new manufacturing technology, as well as methods for managing multiple product configurations, all of which were key enablers for delivering the Intel Core i7 processor in record time.