Voltage Propagation Verification for Electrical Overstress Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current circuit design verification methods are inadequate for detecting electrical overstress issues in power-efficient designs with multiple voltage domains, particularly in thin-oxide transistors, leading to potential device failure and performance degradation due to challenges in verifying device operating voltage conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving voltage propagation across circuit components through global and local iterations to detect electrical overstress, using a reliability verification tool that analyzes propagated voltage values and reports issues, with options for vectorless mode and hierarchical circuit design representation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If SPICE simulations and user-generated marker layers are used to check for electrical overstress, then voltage propagation can be manually verified, but the method is error-prone and difficult to maintain as design changes
Solution Approach 1:
The verification system automatically performs voltage propagation analysis and generates reports without requiring manual marker placement or user intervention. The tool self-updates when design changes occur, eliminating the need for users to manually maintain verification markers while maintaining high measurement precision.
2Reliability
If traditional DRC, LVS, and ERC verification methods are used, then basic design rules are checked, but electrical overstress detection capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines traditional verification methods (DRC, LVS, ERC) with automated voltage propagation analysis into a unified verification system. This integration maintains the existing robust checking capabilities while adding electrical overstress detection functionality, thereby improving reliability without requiring completely separate verification tools.
3Reliability
If voltage propagation is verified manually through designer intervention, then electrical overstress issues can be detected, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of marker placement and voltage tracking with an automated computational system. The tool automatically calculates voltage propagation through the circuit, identifies potential overstress conditions, and generates verification reports, eliminating time-consuming manual operations while maintaining or improving detection accuracy.
4Measurement precision
If markers are used to mark high-voltage design rules, then electrical overstress regions can be identified, but markers are extremely difficult to maintain as design changes
Solution Approach 1:
The verification system automatically updates voltage propagation analysis and high-voltage region identification when design changes occur. Instead of requiring users to manually update markers, the tool self-adapts to design modifications, maintaining measurement precision while eliminating the maintenance burden entirely.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosed technology relate to techniques of voltage propagation-based reliability verification. Voltage values are propagated across components of a circuit design through global iterations until voltage values on nets of the circuit design are not changed from one global iteration to a next global iteration or one preset condition is met. At least one of the global iterations comprises local iterations for a subcircuit of the circuit design. The local iterations suspend when voltage values on nets of the subcircuit are not changed from one local iteration to a next local iteration or one preset condition is met. The propagated voltage values are then analyzed to detect problems in the circuit design.