Analysis and modelling of power distribution networks and plane structures in multichip modules and PCB´s

The analysis and modeling of power and ground planes in multichip modules and printed circuit board systems is presented. Ground effects such as simultaneous switching noise and ground bounce have been an increasingly limiting factor in the signal integrity and design of high speed systems. However, it is often difficult and time consuming to analyze and simulate those effects. An integral equation boundary element algorithm is applied to the electromagnetic modeling of plane structures. An efficient quasi-static approximation is introduced to simplify the complex frequency dependance while retaining the accurate AC characteristics. Equivalent circuits are extracted and utilized for the ground noise analysis and system transient response. The equivalent circuits can also be conveniently combined with signal nets or other external circuitry in system signal integrity analysis. This greatly reduces the computation time and makes design simulations practical on engineering workstations