Webinar Replay – Designing and Verifying HBM ESD Protection Networks

Every chip needs ESD protection, especially RF, analog and nm designs. Because each type of design has specific needs relating to IOs, pad rings, operating voltage, process, etc. it is important that the ESD protection network is carefully tailored to the design. Also because of interactions between the design and its ESD protection network, this work cannot wait to the end of the design cycle and just get slapped on. At each stage in the design process, from library definition and modeling, circuit design and layout, to verification, the requirements of ESD protection need be considered.

Because of the level expertise required a lot of design teams look for a comprehensive solution from companies that specialize in ESD design. The solution provided could consist everything from cell design to verification of the completed design for ESD. Sofics and Magwel have teamed up to work with customers. Together, they offer everything that is needed to implement and verify a comprehensive ESD solution. Sofics has deep experience on the design side and Magwel develops ESD discharge event verification tools. Partnering with Sofics and Magwel brings a lot to the table.

Sofics and Magwel hosted a joint webinar to discuss the complete solution they offer by working together with customers. In this webinar Sofics and Magwel discuss the areas they each focus on and the touch points between them, and with the customer and  foundry. There is a presentation from each company that goes into detail on their portion of the solution. This is followed by a Q&A.

Sofics has a deep portfolio of working with processes from leading and specialty foundries. As a result, they have learned how to optimize many important performance criteria. For low power, they offer cells with extremely low leakage. Where RF and high-speed performance is important they minimize capacitance and resistance. At the same time their ESD protection structures protect against multiple types of ESD failures. In the webinar Sofics will discuss these and other specific techniques they use.

Magwel is working with Sofics so that their ESDi tool works efficiently with the ESD devices and process parameters for each design. ESDi can verify that the ESD protection network is going to work correctly during ESD discharge events. Using jointly prepared device models and technology files, Magwel’s ESDi can simulate every ESD discharge event, including voltage drop and current levels for each device and net. The webinar includes an overview of Magwel’s ESDi including its analysis capabilities, violation reporting and debugging features. The webinar is available on the Magwel website.