2.5/3D IC Reliability Verification Has Come A Long Way


2.5D/3D integrated circuits (ICs) have evolved into an innovative solution for many IC design and integration challenges. As shown in figure 1, 2.5D ICs have multiple dies placed side-by-side on a passive silicon interposer. The interposer is placed on a ball grid array (BGA) organic substrate. Micro-bumps attach each die to the interposer, and flip-chip (C4) bumps attach the interposer to the ... » read more

Design & Implementation of CMOS Interface Circuits For high-Voltage Automotive Signals, with Fully Integrated Clamps


Research paper titled "CMOS Interface Circuits for High-Voltage Automotive Signals" from University of Parma and Silis s.r.l. Abstract "The acquisition of high-voltage signals from sensors and actuators in an internal-combustion engine is often required for diagnostic purposes or in the case of conversion to alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, natural gas, or biogas. The integration of ele... » read more

Context-Aware SPICE Simulation Improves The Fidelity Of ESD Analysis


Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a major reliability concern for integrated circuit (IC) designs. ESD verification is proving to be a significant challenge at advanced nodes, due to growing IC design complexity and transistor counts. Traditional ESD verification approaches using parasitic extraction followed by SPICE simulation are deficient in providing simulation results in a practical runtim... » read more

Can We Efficiently Automate 2.5/3D IC ESD Protection Verification?


Protection against ESD events (commonly referred to as ESD robustness) is an extremely important aspect of integrated circuit (IC) design and verification, including 2.5/3D designs. ESD events cause severe damage to ICs due to a sudden and unexpected flow of electrical current between two electrically charged objects. This current may be caused by contact, an electrical short, or dielectric bre... » read more

Automated ESD Protection Verification For 2.5D And 3D ICs


While automated flows for ESD protection verification are well-established for 2D ICs, 2.5D and 3D designs present new challenges in both ESD circuit design and verification. Advanced automated ESD verification methodology accurately and effectively evaluates ESD protection in 2.5/3D IC designs. Ensuring correct and consistent ESD protection in 2.5/3D ICs raises the reliability and product life... » read more

The Shortest Path Deception


When manufacturing, assembling, and using integrated circuit (IC) chips, the electrostatic discharge (ESD) caused by accumulated static can damage the IC circuitry if the circuit is not properly protected [1]. To prevent such damage, ESD protection devices are designed into the circuitry such that they will create a low impedance path that limits the peak voltage and current by diverting excess... » read more

Shortest Resistance Path Deception In ESD Protection Circuit P2P Debug


Verifying and fixing ESD protection circuit violations is an essential step in tapeout sign-off flows for today’s IC chip designs. As one of the most commonly used ESD verification flows, the point to point (P2P) flow checks the resistances of ESD discharge paths in layout designs to ensure they are within design thresholds. However, when debugging P2P violations, information such as the shor... » read more

Week In Review: Manufacturing, Test


OEMs For some time, the automotive industry has suffered due to chip shortages in the market. And the chip shortages are spreading into other markets. In the latest news, GM plans to idle key truck plants amid chip shortages, according to a report from Bloomberg. “GM said eight of its 14 North American assembly plants will experience shutdowns this month because of chip shortages, includi... » read more

Debugging Point-to-Point Resistance Using Contribution By Layer In IC Validator PERC


PERC Point-to-point resistance (P2P resistance) functionality is a crucial EDA technology to enable complex P2P effective resistance measurement along ESD paths in automation for foundry qualified ESD/Latch-up checker or in-house custom checker. This technology is applied to the entire chip, block, and IP designs on cell or transistor level layout database. Since the ESD path count could grow t... » read more

Managing Wafer Retest


Every wafer test touch-down requires a balance between a good electrical contact and preventing damage to the wafer and probe card. Done wrong, it can ruin a wafer and the customized probe card and result in poor yield, as well as failures in the field. Achieving this balance requires good wafer probing process procedures as well as monitoring of the resulting process parameters, much of it ... » read more

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