The low-loss interconnects simulation by perturbation methods

Abstract

The paper is concerned with the simulation of signal propagation on Low-Loss Highly Inductive Interconnect. The analytical solution of the output voltage signal is derived by solving the transmission line model of interconnect with multiple scales perturbation method of differential equation solving. The usefulness and limitations of the method are considered and some practical examples are presented. IntroductionApplication of the designed logic in the digital integrated circuits (IC's) is closely connected with its implementation in silicon. There are two essential, primary physical elements in the design: transistors assembled together as logical gates and interconnects. The consequence of scaling is the problem how to deal with system level complexity in the presence of Deep Submicron (DSM) effects. As the technology improves to DSM (<250nm) it is no more possible to neglect the interconnection influence in the design process. [1,5,6] The steadily increasing number of gates and the new materials for low resistance interconnection technology cause that the high inductance and magnetic couplings play more important role in VLSI design. The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors [8] predicts that the future nanometer scale circuits will contain more than billion transistors and operate a clock speeds over 10Ghz.Analyzing data, control or clock networks we often have to deal with crosstalk, overshoot and delay. Especially for the global signal and clock wires the technology development decreases the interconnect resistance causing the inductance impedance to be comparable to the resistance [5].The text is composed of four paragraphs. The first refers to the modern interconnects, the main challenges in simulation and modeling, and possible simplifications that can be used. The second part deals with the proposed method of low-loss interconnects step response calculation. Next part presents some simulation examples. In the last part conclusions are drawn.