A method to determine critical circuit blocks for electromigration based on temperature analysis

• Published in: Microelectronics and reliability Vol. 114; p. 113875
• Main Authors: Nunes, R.O., Ramirez, J.L., de Orio, R.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2020
• ISSN: 0026-2714; 1872-941X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2020.113875

In this work, a method to determine critical circuit blocks for electromigration in an integrated circuit based on a temperature analysis of the metallization layers is developed. Considering a given maximum resistance increase due to the electromigration, a maximum temperature of operation of the interconnects is obtained. By comparing this maximum temperature with the actual operating temperature of the interconnects, which is calculated from the power dissipated by the circuit, the number of critical interconnects and the critical circuit blocks are determined. In this way, the method allows to design the chip floorplanning taking into account the temperature effects in the resistance increase of the interconnects due to electromigration. This helps to reduce the operating temperature of the interconnects, which also reduces the probability of the blocks to fail, improving the circuit reliability. •The potentially critical blocks for electromigration are identified based on the temperature of the interconnects.•The integrated circuit blocks strategically placed reduce the risk to lines suffer electromigration.•Using other metallization layers than Metal 1 is an alternative to reduce the operation temperature in the local wires.