Method and apparatus for determining signal line interconnect widths to ensure electromigration reliability

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 6038383
SERIAL NO

08949307

Stats

ATTORNEY / AGENT: (SPONSORED)

Importance

Loading Importance Indicators... loading....

Abstract

See full text

A method for designing and fabricating an integrated circuit is disclosed. Signal line interconnect widths are determined by performing an electromigration analysis on a trial layout of the integrated circuit. A representative circuit for an integrated circuit is designed and a trial layout is created that includes a plurality of nets. A preprocessor 505 eliminates nets that do not need further validation. An extraction process 510 generates an RC network representation of each remaining net that is to be validated to form a distributed load simulation model. Distributed capacitance and resistance of signal lines is included with load capacitance of receivers to provide an accurate profile of current flow. A profile of current flowing in the signal line of each net is determined by simulating the operation of each net using simulator 517. Peak current, RMS current and average current is determined. Post processor 520 determines if electromigration parameters are violated based on the current profile determined for each net. Widths for various segments of signal lines in the various nets are selected to be greater than or equal to a minimum width determined by post processor 520.

Loading the Abstract Image... loading....

First Claim

See full text

Family

Loading Family data... loading....

Patent Owner(s)

  • TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED

International Classification(s)

  • [Classification Symbol]
  • [Patents Count]

Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Cano, Francisco A Missouri City, TX 14 281
Haznedar, Haldun Missouri City, TX 1 91
Savithri, Nagaraj N Dallas, TX 9 633
Young, Duane J Sugarland, TX 2 294

Cited Art Landscape

Load Citation

Patent Citation Ranking

Forward Cite Landscape

Load Citation