As analog and mixed-signal designs become increasingly complex, parasitic effects dominate both design time and cost, consuming 30–50% of engineers’ effort in debugging and reanalyzing circuits. Addressing these multiphysics effects requires early verification strategies and reliable simulation solutions. Modern … Read More
By Dina Medhat
Three key takeaways
By Mark Tawfik
Overview: Protecting ICs from costly ESD and latch-up failures
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) events cost the semiconductor industry an estimated $8 billion annually in lost productivity, warranty claims and product failures [1].
Ensuring the robust protection of integrated circuits (ICs) against various… Read More
Electrical Overstress (EOS) and Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) account for most of the field failures observed in the electronics industry. Although EOS and ESD damage can at times look quite similar to each other, the source each and the solution can be quite different. Therefore, it is important to be able to distinguish between… Read More
Do not lose sleep worrying that your integrated circuits might fail during EOS/ESD events. Join us for the 38th annual EOS/ESD Symposium in Anaheim, CA in September. Experts on the field will address the latest research on EOS and ESD in the rapidly changing world of electronics.
As electronics continue to become commonplace in… Read More
Almost anyone that is active in IC design will be “in touch” with Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) at some time (pun intended). Preventing ESD related IC failures remains something like black magic—at least it’s easy to get that feeling when you are trying to debug ESD failures. I/O and ESD layouts that resulted in excellent robustness… Read More
While this iconic advertising phrase was first used to describe the ink reliability of a ballpoint pen, it perfectly summarizes the average consumer’s attitude toward automobile reliability as well. We don’t really care how it’s done, as long as everything in our car works first time, every time. Even when that includes heated… Read More
By Hend Wagieh, Mentor Graphics
At advanced IC technology nodes, circuit designers are now encountering problems such as reduced voltage supply headroom, increased wiring parasitic resistance (Rp) and capacitance (Cp), more restrictive electromigration (EM) rules, latch-up, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage,… Read More
Electro-static discharge (ESD) has been a problem since the beginning of IC production. Chips function on power supplies of up to a few volts (depending on the era) whereas ESD voltages are measured in the thousands of volts. When you reach out for your car door handle and a spark jumps across, that is ESD. If you were touching a chip… Read More
