Markov Chain Approach of Digital Flow Disturbances on Supplies Via Heterogeneous Integrated Circuit Substrate

Abstract

An important problem for the designers of complex heterogeneous circuits, combinating digital and analog parts, is to predict the perturbations coming from commutating logical gates, flowing through the substrate to reach some sensitive analog blocks. We present, in this paper, an application of a stochastic model based on Markovian processes; the digital switching activity is modelled as functions defined as Markov Chains. The final goal is to grasp the noise power density of such perturbations. Then formulas are derived for both the spectral lines—discrete part—and the continuous part of this spectral density. As an example, we extract an actual interference signal resulting from the modulation of parasitic-injected waveforms—for instance into some circuit supply—driven by the discrete stochastic process.

Key Words:

• Heterogeneous circuits
• substrate noise
• stochastics process

Additional information

Notes on contributors

C. Gontrand

Christian Gontrand was born in Montpellier, France, on February 21, 1955. He received his M.S., Ph.D. and “State Doctorat” (Habilitation diploma) degrees, in 1977, 1982, and 1987, in electronics, from the Universite des Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, Montpellier, France. From 1982 to 1984, he has been working with the Thomson “Laboratoire Central de Recherche”(LCR), Orsay, where his areas of interest included theoretical (electrical transport) and experimental (noise) of microwave de-vices (TEGFETs/HEMTs). From 1988, he joined the laboratoire de Physique de la Matière (LPM/INSA), Villeurbanne, as a Research Assistant Professor. From 1988 to 1996, he had the technical charge of the new “Centre de Microelectronique de la Region Lyonnaise” (CIMIRLY), and worked on new RF compatible silicon devices, in collaboration with the Centre National des Etudes en Telecommunication (CNET), Meylan. From 1997 to 2001, as a Professor in semiconductor devices and circuits, he was at the head of the team “Smart System Integration”, at the “Centre de Genie Electrique de Lyon” (CEGELY); from 2002, his was at the Head of the team “Radiofrequency Devices, Circuits and Systems” of the LPM/INL, dealing with noises or parasitic disturbances in mixed complex 2D and 3D RF circuits and systems.

J.C.N. Perez

Jose Cruz Nuñez Perez received his M.Sc. degree in electronics engineering from the National Center of Research and Technological Development (CENIDET), Mexico, in 2003, and the Ph.D. degree from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquees of Lyon (INSA-Lyon), France, in 2007. Currently, he is Professor at the Center of Research and DevelopmentofDigital Technology (CITEDI) of National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), Mexico, in the Telecommunications Department. Prior to this, in first semester 2008, he was a Senior Researcher at Advanced Technology Research (ATR) in Mexico, where he led a team of researchers working on networking, and telecommunication architectures. His research interests include digital and analog circuits design, device physic modelling, Si/SiGe:C heterojunction bipolar transistor, VCO design, oscillator phase noise, RF circuits and electromagnetic compatibility.

P.-J. Viverge

Pierre-Jean Viverge (Assistant Professor, INSA of Lyon) He is an Electronic Engineer and completed his Ph.D. degree in Electronics in 1997 at the INSA of Lyon. He works at the Electrical Engineering department of INSA of Lyon. His main interest field of research is about applications of electronics components.

F. Calmon

Francis Calmon was born in Cahors, France, in 1970. He received his Engineering diploma and Ph.D. degrees, respectively, in 1992 and 1995 from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquees of Lyon (INSA-Lyon), France, in the field of microelectronics. Then, he joined the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he contributed to the developmentof multi-domainmodels (superconducting magnets, power devices and transformers). In 1997, he was appointed Assistant Professor in the Institut National des Sciences Appliquees of Lyon (INSA-Lyon), France. From 1997 to 2000, he was member of the Centre de Genie Electrique de Lyon, CEGELY (now renamed Ampere Laboratory), in Lyon, France, with a research activity on power electronics integration. In 2000, he joined STMicroelectronics, wireless division, Grenoble, France, where he was involved in mixed and RF IC’s design, with a specific contribution on CAD tools. Since 2001, back to INSA-Lyon as an Assistant Professor, he is researcher in the Lyon Institute of Nanotechnology (INL—UMR CNRS 5270). His fields of interests are the design and the characterization of mixed and RF IC’s with a particular emphasis on signal integrity issue and the use of emerging nanodevices.

S. Labiod

Samir Labiod was born in Constantine, Algeria, on January 05, 1981. He received the electrical engineering and Magister degrees in electronics, from Constantine University, Algeria, in 2005 and 2008, respectively. He is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree in microelectronics. His current research interests include effect of an electromagnetic environment on electrical characteristics of an MOS and bipolar transistors.

S. Latreche

Saida Latreche is with Constantine University in Algeria. She received, in the field of microelectronics, the “Doctorat 3^iéme Cycle” from Paul Sabatier University of Toulouse, France in 1985, the “Doctorat d’etat” from Constantine University in 1998 and the Ph.D. degree from INSA of Lyon, France, in 1998. Currently, she is Professor of Electronics at Constantine University in Algeria, where she is also with Hyperfrequences and Semiconductor Laboratory. Her research interests include device physics, modelling, and simulation of Si/SiGe (C) bipolar transistor, RF circuit for wireless communication applications and nanoscale MOS transistors.

O. Valorge

Olivier Valorge was born in Roanne, France, on April 4 1977. He received the B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Universite Claude Bernard Lyon, Villeurbanne, France, in 2000. He received Ph.D. degree in the field of microelectronics from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquees of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France, in 2006. In 2000, he joined STMicroelectronics, Grenoble, France, where he was a development engineer in charge of mixed-signal circuit physical implementations and verifications. In 2003, he began research on Mixed Signal Design Electromagnetic Compatibility within STMicroelectronics, in collaboration with the Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière, LPM—UMR CNRS 5511 at INSA Lyon. He is actually at the Electrical Engineering Department of the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal (Canada) since 2006. His studies concern the technical aspects and feasibility of a smart wafer-scale advance system in DreamWafer’s team but also the electromagnetic compatibility of biomedical implantable devices in Polystim’s laboratory. His research interests include the digital and analog design, the modelling, the electromagnetic compatibility and the testing of mixed-signal and wafer-scale integrated circuit.

P. Mary

Philippe Mary completed his Ph.D. degree in electronics in 2008 at the INSA of Lyon. He has been working for FT/Orange and INRIA from 2005 to 2008 and for the CITI Lab of INSA from 2005. His main interest field of research is the study of radio communications systems.