Power supply noise analysis methodology for deep-submicron VLSI chip design

TLDR: A new design methodology to analyzethe on-chip power supply noise for high-performance microprocessors based on an integrated package-level and chip-level power bus model, and a simulated switching circuit model for each functional block offers the most complete and accurate analysis of Vdd distribution.

Abstract: This paper describes a new design methodology to analyzethe on-chip power supply noise for high-performance microprocessors.Based on an integrated package-level andchip-level power bus model, and a simulated switching circuitmodel for each functional block, this methodology offersthe most complete and accurate analysis of Vdd distributionfor the entire chip. The analysis results not only providedesigners with the inductive ΔI noise and the resistive IRdrop data at the same time, but also allow designers to easilyidentify the hot spots on the chip and ΔV across the chip.Global and local optimization such as buffer sizing, powerbus sizing, and on-chip decoupling capacitor placement canthen be conducted to maximize the circuit performance andminimize the noise.