Extraction and applications of on-chip interconnect inductance

Inductance associated with on-chip wires can no longer be ignored as chip operation frequencies increase into GHz regime. Because the magnetic field propagates a long range, the wire inductance is not just dependent on the immediate neighboring environment. This paper discusses the difficulty of extracting inductance in a typical chip environment. A screening and extraction algorithm is described to identify wires with significant inductive effects. With a dedicated current return path, the wire inductance can be controlled and benefit the design of high-speed circuits. Specific examples are illustrated.