Accurate interconnect modeling: Towards multi-million transistor chips as microwave circuits

In this paper we discuss concepts and techniques for the accurate and efficient modeling and extraction of interconnect parasitics in VLSI designs. Due to increasing operating frequencies, microwave-like effects will become important. Therefore stronger demands are put on extraction and verification tools. We indicate the state-of-the-art for capacitance, resistance and substrate resistance extraction and discuss some open problems. We also discuss several model reduction techniques as well as issues related to simulation and implementation in a CAD system.