Electromagnetic simulation of 3D stacked ICs: Full model vs. S-parameter cascaded based model

Three-dimensional electromagnetic simulation models are often simplified and/or segmented in order to reduce the simulation time and memory requirements without sacrificing the accuracy of the results. This paper investigates the difference between full model and S-parameter cascaded based model of 3D stacked ICs with the presence of Through Silicon Vias. It is found that the simulation of the full model is required for accurate results, however, a divide and conquers (segmentation) approach can be used for preliminary post layout analysis. Modeling guidelines are discussed and details on the proper choice of ports, boundary conditions, and solver technology are highlighted. A de-embedding methodology is finally explored to improve the accuracy of the cascaded/segmented results.