Analysis of DC current crowding in through-silicon-vias and its impact on power integrity in 3D ICs

Due to the large geometry of through-silicon-vias (TSVs) and their connections to the power grid, significant current crowding can occur in 3D ICs. Prior works model TSVs and power wire segments as single resistors, which cannot capture the detailed current distribution and may miss trouble spots associated with current crowding. This paper studies DC current crowding and its impact on 3D power integrity. First, we explore the current density distribution within a TSV and its power wire connections. Second, we build and validate effective TSV models for current density distributions. Finally, these models are integrated with global power wires for detailed chip-scale power grid analysis. Categories and Subject Descriptors B.7.2 [Hardware, Integrated Circuit]: Design Aids General Terms Design Keywords 3D IC, TSV, DC current crowding, power integrity, reliability

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2012
• Where: DAC
• Authors: Xin Zhao, Michael Scheuermann, Sung Kyu Lim
• Keywords: Computer Architecture, DAC 2012, Density Distributions, Integrated Circuit Design, Wire Segments