A performance analysis for interconnections of 3D ICs with frequency-dependent TSV model in S-parameter

Abstract

In this study, the effects of the frequencydependent characteristics of through-silicon vias (TSVs) on the performance of 3D ICs are examined by evaluating a typical interconnection structure, which is composed of 32-nm CMOS inverter drivers and receivers connected through TSVs. The frequency-domain model of TSVs is extracted in S-parameter from a 3D electromagnetic (EM) method, where the dimensional variation effect of TSVs can be accurately considered for a comprehensive parameter sweep simulation. A parametric analysis shows that the propagation delay increases with the diameter and height of the TSVs but decreases with the pitch and liner thickness. We also investigate the crosstalk effect between TSVs by testing different signaling conditions. From the simulations, the worst signal integrity is observed when the signal experiences a simultaneously coupled transition in the opposite direction from the aggressor lines. Simulation results for nine-TSV bundles having regular and staggered patterns reveal that the proposed method can characterize TSV-based 3D interconnections of any dimensions and patterns.