Analysis-Driven Module Creation for Layout Effects
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Solution Overview
Problem
In modern electronic circuits, especially at sub-45 nm nodes, layout-dependent effects such as stress effects from oxide length definition and well-proximity effects significantly impact device performance, leading to reliability and performance issues due to insufficient wire widths and electro-migration violations, necessitating more efficient analysis-driven module creation and electrical simulation.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for analysis-driven module creation, where schematic designers use parameterized cells to create or modify physical modules by inputting geometric and material parameters, enabling electrical awareness during the design process, allowing for early identification of potential issues and reducing iterative design and verification cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional iterative design and verification processes are used to account for layout-dependent effects, then device performance and reliability can be improved, but design time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing electrical analysis and extracting layout-dependent effects during the module creation phase before final verification. This allows designers to identify and correct performance issues early in the design process, avoiding multiple iterative cycles between layout and verification stages, thus reducing design time while maintaining device reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by using extracted electrical parameters and layout-dependent effects to automatically adjust module creation parameters. The system feeds verification results back into the module creation process, enabling automatic optimization of device performance without requiring manual iterative redesign, thereby reducing design time while improving reliability
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple iterations of extraction and re-simulation are performed to verify physical design, then manufacturing precision can be improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs extraction of electrical parameters and layout-dependent effects during module creation rather than waiting for final verification. This preliminary extraction allows manufacturing precision to be ensured early in the process, reducing the need for multiple iterative verification cycles and thereby improving design throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically using extracted electrical parameters to adjust module creation parameters without requiring manual intervention for each iteration. This automation maintains high manufacturing precision while significantly improving productivity by eliminating repetitive manual verification cycles
3Reliability
If wire widths are increased to prevent electro-migration violations, then reliability improves, but area consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by automatically adjusting wire width parameters based on extracted current density and electro-migration constraints during module creation. The system optimizes wire dimensions to meet reliability requirements while minimizing area consumption, rather than using fixed conservative width values that would waste space
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by varying wire width parameters locally based on specific electro-migration risk assessments for different interconnect regions. High-current paths receive increased width for reliability, while low-current paths use minimal width to conserve area, optimizing the balance between reliability and area consumption
4Reliability
If dummy components and guard rings are added to minimize layout-dependent effects, then device performance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of layout-dependent effects such as well-proximity effects and stress effects during module creation. Based on this analysis, dummy components and guard rings are added only where specifically needed rather than as universal defaults, improving device performance while minimizing unnecessary complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by selectively placing dummy components and guard rings only in regions where layout-dependent effects are identified as problematic. The system avoids adding these elements uniformly across all devices, thereby improving performance where needed while keeping overall device complexity low
Data Source
AI summary
Various processes or modules described herein enable the schematic design tools to obtain physical data of a physical design and to perform one or more simulations in the schematic domain with such physical data such that the schematic design tools are made electrically aware of the physical data. Various types of data in the physical domain may be transferred to the schematic domain for the performance of one or more schematic simulations with the transferred data. The schematic designs are thus made electrically aware of such data from the physical domain and may incorporate any layout induced effects early in the schematic design stage or even at the time a schematic instance of a physical module is to be created in the schematic domain.