Recent Advances in Modeling and Simulation of High-Speed Interconnects

Abstract

The rapid increase in operating speeds, density and complexity of modern integrated circuits has made interconnect analysis a requirement for all state-of-the-art circuit simulators. Interconnect effects such as ringing, signal delay, distortion and crosstalk can severely degrade signal integrity. Interconnections can be from various levels of design hierarch. As the frequency of operations increases, the interconnect lengths become a significant fraction of the operating wavelength, and conventional lumped models become inadequate in describing the interconnect performance and transmission line models become necessary. This chapter describes some of the recent advances in transmission line simulation techniques. Application of mode-order-reduction algorithms to high-speed interconnect analysis is also presented.