Electromigration Characterization via Frequency-Domain Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for characterizing electromigration effects in electronic designs are resource-intensive due to repeated transient analyses, and they are limited to probing only external ports of an entire design, failing to account for interlayer connections, which can lead to inaccurate and inefficient evaluation of electromigration effects.
Innovation Solution
A method that transforms time-domain voltage waveforms into the frequency domain, allowing for DC analysis without transient analyses, and enables probing of ports along layer boundaries, using reduced networks to reduce computational resources while maintaining accuracy, by selecting key frequencies and replacing capacitors with equivalent impedances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional transient analysis methods are used for electromigration characterization, then measurement precision is improved, but computing resources and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the analysis from time-domain transient analysis to frequency-domain steady-state analysis by applying sinusoidal voltage sources at different frequencies. This parameter change allows obtaining electromigration characterization data without performing computationally intensive transient simulations, thereby reducing computational time while maintaining measurement precision through frequency-sweep methodology
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional transient analysis mechanism with an AC steady-state analysis mechanism. Instead of simulating time-varying transient responses, the system uses frequency-domain analysis with sinusoidal excitation to obtain the same electromigration characterization information more efficiently, substituting a computationally lighter analytical approach
2Measurement precision
If the entire design is analyzed for electromigration effects, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to resource intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electromigration analysis into frequency-specific sub-analyses. By dividing the broad-spectrum transient analysis into multiple narrow-band AC analyses at specific frequencies, the system can evaluate electromigration effects across the entire design without overwhelming computational complexity, maintaining precision through systematic frequency-point evaluation
3Ease of operation
If only external ports are probed, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to missing interlayer connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal probing methodology that works for both external ports and internal interlayer connections. The AC steady-state analysis framework can be applied uniformly across different types of connections (external and internal) without requiring different analysis approaches, maintaining ease of operation while improving measurement precision by enabling comprehensive probing of all connection types
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for characterizing electromigration effects in an electronic design. These techniques determine an electrical characteristic at a port of a portion of an electronic design and select a number of frequencies in the frequency domain for the electrical characteristic. Multiple electric currents through a circuit component in the portion may be determined at least by performing a number of analyses for the number of frequencies. An electromigration effect may be characterized for the circuit component by using at least the multiple electric currents.