IC Wire Temperature Estimation via Thermal Decay Profiles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for estimating temperatures of wires in integrated circuit (IC) chips are inefficient and inaccurate due to the complexity of thermal field solutions in modern IC chips, which require extensive modeling and simulation, making it difficult to determine reliable thermal profiles for the large number of wires and dielectric fillings.
Innovation Solution
The proposed system and method estimate wire temperatures by computing temperature elevations based on heat-generating components, using decay profiles that define thermal coupling as a function of distance, and summing individual contributions from each component, allowing for efficient estimation without full interconnection scheme modeling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If full thermal field modeling and simulation are used to estimate wire temperatures, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and processing burden increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal field into discrete influence zones around each heat-generating component. Instead of modeling the entire thermal field continuously, it divides the problem into individual component contributions, each with its own decay profile. This segmentation allows accurate temperature estimation without requiring full thermal field simulation of the entire IC chip.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential thermal coupling characteristics from complex thermal field simulations by creating simplified decay profiles for each heat-generating component. These extracted profiles capture the dominant thermal behavior without requiring the full complexity of continuous thermal field modeling, enabling efficient temperature estimation through superposition of individual component effects.
2Measurement precision
If full thermal field modeling is performed for all wires and dielectric fillings, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary characterization of thermal decay profiles for each heat-generating component type before actual temperature estimation. These pre-computed decay profiles capture the essential thermal behavior and can be reused for multiple wire temperature calculations, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by considering only the dominant heat-generating components and their individual decay profiles rather than performing exhaustive thermal field simulations for all components. This selective approach provides sufficient accuracy for temperature estimation without the excessive computational burden of complete thermal field modeling.
3Measurement precision
If detailed thermal coupling modeling is performed for each component, then measurement precision is improved, but memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts essential thermal coupling information into compact decay profile representations for each heat-generating component. Instead of storing complete thermal field solutions or detailed geometric models, it retains only the critical decay characteristics that define thermal coupling, significantly reducing memory requirements while preserving temperature estimation accuracy.
4Measurement precision
If complete interconnection scheme modeling is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the interconnection scheme into individual heat-generating components and their respective thermal influence zones. By treating each component independently with its own decay profile and superimposing their effects, it avoids the complexity of modeling complete interconnection schemes while maintaining sufficient accuracy for temperature estimation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces decay profiles as intermediary representations that mediate between complex thermal field physics and simple temperature estimation. These decay profiles serve as simplified models that capture essential thermal coupling behavior without requiring detailed interconnection scheme modeling, enabling accurate temperature prediction through superposition of individual component contributions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables faster and more accurate temperature estimation of IC chip wires, reducing processing burden and memory requirements, while maintaining reliability, and is applicable to complex modern IC chip designs.
Implementation Method 1
a decay profile that defines a thermal coupling from the heat-generating component to wires of the IC chip as a function of distance from the heat-generating component
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for estimating a temperature of a wire of an integrated circuit (IC) chip having a plurality of heat-generating components. For each of the heat-generating components, a temperature of the heat-generating component is computed. For each of the heat-generating components, a decay profile defining a thermal coupling from the heat-generating component to wires of the IC chip is computed. For each of the heat-generating components, a temperature elevation on the wire caused by the heat-generating component is computed. The temperature elevation is computed based on the temperature and decay profile of the heat-generating component and a spatial relationship between the wire and the heat-generating component. A total temperature elevation on the wire is computed by summing the temperature elevation of each of the heat-generating components. The heat-generating components include a plurality of wires of the IC chip and at least one device of the IC chip.