Processor IP garners the most attention in SoC design, but it’s not the only IP category begging for smart choices. Every processor core needs to be fed with data; however, frequent off-chip DRAM access incurs a large clock-cycle penalty each time. Architects now want SRAM blocks distributed throughout an SoC, putting data close… Read More
Tag: advanced nodes
Full-Chip Electromigration Analysis
I’ll never forget debugging my first DRAM chip at Intel, peering into a microscope and watching the aluminum interconnect actually bubble and dissolve as the voltage was increased, revealing the destructive effects of Electromigration (EM) failure. That was back in 1980 using 6 um, single level metal technology, so imagine… Read More
