arXiv:2606.05253cs.LG2026-06

让大模型在测试时动态优化硬件设计,显著提升性能功耗效率。

Alpha-RTL: Test-Time Training for RTL Hardware Optimization

论文配图:Alpha-RTL: Test-Time Training for RTL Hardware Optimization
图 1 · 摘自论文原文
  • 测试时训练框架让大模型根据EDA反馈实时调整设计策略。
  • 在Nangate 45nm上降低65.1%的PPA乘积,优于固定策略基线。
  • 适合需要高性能物理优化的工业级硬件设计场景。

大型语言模型(LLMs)在生成功能正确的寄存器传输级(RTL)硬件设计方面展现出潜力。现有系统通过集成EDA的强化学习,结合语法、仿真和PPA奖励进行优化,但通常在部署前训练通用生成器,而测试时方法则使用冻结策略。本文提出TTT-RTL,据我们所知首个针对每个设计的测试时训练框架,实现大模型策略与EDA流水线之间的闭环优化。该框架采样候选实现,通过语法检查与仿真验证,利用综合后导出的PPA乘积对有效设计评分,通过PUCT索引的设计状态池复用高奖励方案,并采用熵正则化策略梯度目标更新策略。为在稀疏或平台化奖励下稳定更新,引入自适应KL预算控制器,基于参考KL、有效样本量和奖励饱和信号动态调整熵约束。在RTLLM v2.0与Nangate 45nm工艺下,TTT-RTL相比基准实现几何均值降低65.1%的PPA乘积,优于最强的冻结策略基线(26.1%)。在工业级玄铁C910 FPU前导零预测单元(Sky130工艺)上,实现59.4%的ADP下降;消融实验表明策略适应、状态复用与KL预算控制均具贡献。结果表明,结合可执行EDA反馈的测试时训练,可使基于LLM的RTL生成从功能正确迈向物理优化。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

Large language models (LLMs) have shown increasing promise in generating functionally correct register-transfer-level (RTL) hardware designs. Recent systems improve further through EDA-integrated reinforcement learning with syntax, simulation, and PPA rewards, but train a general RTL generator before deployment while test-time approaches search with a frozen policy. We instead perform reinforcement learning at test time, allowing the LLM policy to adapt to executable EDA feedback for the specific RTL problem at hand. We propose TTT-RTL, to our knowledge the first per-design test-time training framework that closes the loop between an LLM policy and an EDA pipeline for RTL optimization. TTT-RTL samples candidate implementations, verifies them through syntax checking and simulation, scores valid designs using synthesis-derived PPA product, reuses high-reward variants through a PUCT-indexed design-state pool, and updates the policy with an entropic policy-gradient objective. To stabilize policy updates under sparse or plateaued rewards, we introduce an adaptive KL-budget controller that adjusts the entropy constraint using reference KL, effective sample size, and reward saturation signals. On RTLLM v2.0 under Nangate 45nm, TTT-RTL reduces the geometric-mean PPA product by 65.1% over the reference, outperforming the strongest published frozen-policy agent baseline at 26.1%. On an industrial XuanTie C910 FPU leading-zero-anticipation unit under Sky130, TTT-RTL achieves a 59.4% ADP reduction, and ablations confirm that policy adaptation, state reuse, and KL-budget control each contribute. These results suggest that test-time training with executable EDA feedback can move LLM-based RTL generation beyond functional correctness toward physically optimized hardware.

硬件生成测试时训练LLM优化EDA集成

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