Abstract: A system and method of testing an integrated circuit provide a first clock signal to a first flip-flop with an output to a functional circuit, provide a second clock signal to a second flip-flop with an input from the functional circuit, wherein the second flip-flip has a minimum hold time, provide a test input to the first flip-flop, observe a signal propagation time through the functional circuit, determine the signal propagation time is less than the minimum hold time of the second flip-flop, and increasing a timing separation by adding a unit of delay to the first clock signal or subtracting a unit of delay from the second clock signal.

Abstract: Some of the embodiments of the present invention provide an integrated circuit device including a clock distribution network, the clock distribution network comprising an inner band, an outer band, and a clock distribution tree including a plurality of stages, each stage including a plurality of signal drivers, wherein all signal drivers of at least one stage of the clock distribution tree are placed in an area between the inner band and the outer band. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.