Reinforcement Learning-Based Optimization of Workload-Aware Power Delivery Networks

Power Delivery Networks (PDNs) are critical components of modern VLSI chips, providing stable voltage levels while satisfying electromigration (EM) and IR-drop constraints. Conventional PDN design methodologies typically rely on worst-case assumptions, often resulting in over-provisioned networks and inefficient use of resources. This paper presents a reinforcement learning-based framework for the optimization of workload-aware PDNs. The proposed methodology first generates workload-aware PDNs using architectural power traces obtained from system-level simulations. These power traces are mapped to spatial power density distributions, enabling adaptive allocation of PDN resources according to local current demand. A reinforcement learning agent then performs wire-width optimization to minimize PDN area while maintaining EM and voltage integrity constraints. Electrical and reliability metrics are obtained using SPICE-based circuit analysis and EM lifetime estimation. Experimental evaluation is performed on a dataset of workload-aware PDNs generated from 4-, 8-, and 16-core multiprocessor floorplans using PARSEC and SPLASH-2 benchmark workloads. Furthermore, the proposed Deep Q-Network (DQN)-based optimizer reduces the average normalized PDN area by 47% while satisfying all EM and IR-drop constraints. Compared to simulated annealing, the proposed approach achieves comparable optimization quality while providing approximately 26× faster optimization.