Effects of conductor losses on cross-talk in multilevel coupled VLSI interconnections

The influence of conductor losses on the cross-talk between coupled microstrip lines is evaluated using an integral equation method. In this mathematical formulation the fields are computed inside the conductors and are utilized to define an equivalent impedance on the surface of the strips. This surface impedance is used as a boundary condition for the solution of the electromagnetic problem outside the conductors. Following this procedure the effect of losses on pulse dispersion in coupled microstrip lines is studied thoroughly for various geometries.