Simulated annealing algorithms: an overview

A brief introduction is given to the actual mechanics of simulated annealing, and a simple example from an IC layout is used to illustrate how these ideas can be applied. The complexities and tradeoffs involved in attacking a realistically complex design problem are illustrated by dissecting two very different annealing algorithms for VLSI chip floorplanning. Several current research problems aimed at determining more precisely how and why annealing algorithms work are examined. Some philosophical issues raised by the introduction of annealing are discussed.>