Process variations increasingly challenge the manufacturability of advanced devices and yield integrated circuits. Technology computer-aided design (TCAD) has potential to make key contributions minimize this problem, by assessing impact certain on device, circuit, system. In way, TCAD can provide information necessary decide investments in processing level or adoption a more variation tolerant process flow, device architecture, circuit chip level. Five Fraunhofer institutes joined forces...

We propose a circuit-level modeling approach for the threshold voltage shift in PMOS devices due to negative-bias temperature instability (NBTI). The model is suitable application analog circuit design and reproduces results of existing digital-stress NBTI models limit two-level stress signals. It accounts recovery effects during intervals low stress, it predicts stress-pattern dependent saturation degradation at large operation times. Since can be solved numerically an efficient way, we...

We investigate the negative-bias temperature instability (NBTI) degradation and recovery of pMOSFETs under continuously varying analog-circuit stress voltages thereby generalize existing digital-stress NBTI studies. Starting from our ultrafast measurements an extensive TCAD analysis, we study two physics-based compact models for analog-stress including recovery. The high accuracy both is evidenced single-FET circuit-level ring oscillator experiments. Their numerical efficiency allows direct...

Layout generation remains a critical bottleneck in analog circuit design. It is especially distracting when re-using an existing design for similar specification or transferring working to new technology. This paper presents methodology layout of circuits that based on modular and so-called "executable flow description". created once manually allows describe the technology independent parameterizable manner assuring consistent view Complex layouts can be negligible time, achieving early...

As feature sizes shrink, random fluctuations gain importance in semiconductor manufacturing and integrated circuit design. Therefore, statistical device variability has to be considered design analysis properly estimate their impact avoid expensive over-design. Statistical MOSFET compact modeling is required accurately capture marginal distributions of varying parameters preserve correlations. Due limited simulator capabilities, variables are often assumed normally distributed. Although...

Process variations increasingly challenge the manufacturability of advanced devices and yield integrated circuits. Technology computer-aided design (TCAD) has potential to make key contributions minimize this problem, by assessing impact certain on device, circuit, system. In way, TCAD can provide information necessary decide investments in processing level or adoption a more variation tolerant process flow, device architecture, circuit chip level. first two consecutive papers, sources state...

Process variations and atomic-level fluctuations increasingly pose challenges to the design analysis of integrated circuits by introducing variability. Although several approaches have been proposed deal with inherent statistical nature circuit design, we consider them incomplete two important aspects often being insufficiently addressed: 1) non-Gaussian distributions 2) highly correlated parameters. To address these points, propose a fully multivariate approach based on an arbitrary model....

We experimentally and theoretically investigate the NBTI degradation of pMOS devices due to analog stress voltages thus go beyond existing studies for digital stress. As a result, we propose physics-based compact model analog-stress which builds upon extensive TCAD analysis our ultra-short-delay experimental data. The numerical efficiency allows its direct coupling electric circuit simulators permits accurately account already during design. Our enables calculation time-dependent variability...

Electromigration (EM) is becoming a progressively severe reliability challenge due to increased interconnect current densities. A shift from traditional (post-layout) EM verification robust (pro-active) EM-aware design - where the circuit layout designed with individual EM-robust solutions urgently needed. This tutorial will give an overview of and its effects on present future integrated circuits (ICs). We introduce physical process specific characteristics that can be affected during...

28 nm high-k metal gate CMOS SRAM circuits were subjected to controlled mechanical load by nanoindentation. A thinning procedure down about 35 μm of remaining Si enables high stress fields in the vicinity operational cells which embedded a flip chip package and loads from backside. It was found that loading leads an increase bit cell fail probability around nanoindentation point. The effects are reversible, i.e. failures completely released upon relieve. results attained here provide...

Variability continues to pose challenges integrated circuit design. With statistical static timing analysis and high-yield estimation methods, solutions particular problems exist, but they do not allow a common view on performance variability including potentially correlated non-Gaussian parameter distributions. In this paper, we present probabilistic approach for modeling as an alternative: model parameters are treated multi-dimensional random variables. Such fully mul-tivariate description...

We present a BTI compact model that is able to account for the complex stress patterns encountered in electronic circuits. Such are composed of various blocks corresponding different circuit operation states, protocol modes or input conditions, and repeat within composite, hierarchical structure. The work extends previously introduced physics-based accurate NBTI modeling while preserving its numerical efficiency. provide insight into some principal characteristics degradation under patterns,...

In this work we present a technology for dynamically introducing fault structures into digital twins without the need to change virtual prototype model. The injection is done at beginning of simulation by rewiring involved netlists. During on realtime platform, faults can be activated or deactivated triggered sequences, statistical effects events from real world. some cases even auto-generated directly formal specification, which further automates development process safety-relevant systems....

There is an increasing demand for simulation strategies electro-thermal analysis of electronic systems. In this study cases are investigated, where self induced thermal dynamics influence the electrical behavior device. A method generation models proposed, which requires coarse information on layout while allowing evaluation interactions tentatively. Here, chip divided into a number columns, in lateral gradient temperature considered to be negligible. simple RC-network used model each layer...

To verify the reliability of electronic circuits and systems in automotive applications, qualification according to industry-standards, such as AEC-QIOO, is state art. But will it be sufficient for future applications? Simulationbased assessments IC system development are intended complement allow efficient investigations product reliability. Aging simulations analog have been available years, but hardly used. This article discusses degradation models one bottleneck, outlines different...

We propose an innovative thermal modeling approach that takes into account different "levels-of-knowledge" as they become available during the design phases of microelectronic systems. There are many tools for simulations which well-suited high-precision modeling. However, their applicability severely diminishes if CAD models not or time is limited. Especially electro-thermal co-design, where several spins between and simulation required, quickly becomes prohibitively large. By a combination...

Variability continues to pose challenges integrated circuit design. With statistical static timing analysis and high-yield estimation methods, solutions particular problems exist, but they do not allow a common view on performance variability including potentially correlated non-Gaussian parameter distributions. In this paper, we present probabilistic approach for modeling as an alternative: model parameters are treated multi-dimensional random variables. Such fully mul-tivariate description...

On the example of a 28nm SRAM array, this work presents novel reliability study which takes into account effect externally applied mechanical stress in circuit simulations. This method is able to predict bit failures caused by via piezoresistive effect. The stability each single cell simulated using static noise margin. Finally, whole array's behavior reproduced including device parameter variations Monte-Carlo results show good agreement with corresponding experiments was introduced array...

Variability continues to pose challenges integrated circuit design. With statistical static timing analysis and high-yield estimation methods, solutions particular problems exist, but they do not allow a common view on performance variability including potentially correlated non-Gaussian parameter distributions. In this paper, we present probabilistic approach for modeling as an alternative: model parameters are treated multi-dimensional random variables. Such fully mul-tivariate description...

For analog and mixed-signal circuit design a modeling methodology is needed which well suited to the requirements of structured synthesis flow. It ensures that intended specification met without over-design. Behavioral models are able provide level knowledge on higher abstraction levels by including non-idealities parasitics from realization, allows realistic comparison different architectures. At same time these fast enough explore space optimize translation with respect system performance...

In this paper a method for dynamic fault injection and simulation as well its application to MEMS based sensor systems is described. The prerequisite approach the availability of accurate, but likewise numerically efficient models element. Simulations on SystemC AMS are suitable analyze nominal behavior complex including electronics mechanical elements [1], [2]. They offer capabilities represent analog digital hardware software nonelectrical components in one environment. Especially...