Afraid of mesh-based clock topologies? You should be

Afraid of mesh-based clock topologies? You should be
by Daniel Payne on 03-18-2024 at 10:00 am

mesh-based clock topology

Digital logic chips synchronize all logic operations by using a clock signal connected to flip-flops or latches, and the clock is distributed across the entire chip. The ultimate goal is to have a clock signal that arrives at the exact same moment in time at all clocked elements. If the clock arrives too early or too late from the PLL… Read More


Power Supply Induced Jitter on Clocks: Risks, Mitigation, and the Importance of Accurate Verification

Power Supply Induced Jitter on Clocks: Risks, Mitigation, and the Importance of Accurate Verification
by Daniel Nenni on 09-27-2023 at 6:00 am

Jitter Analysis

In the realm of digital systems, clocks play a crucial role in synchronizing various components and ensuring smooth flow of logic propagation. However, the accuracy of clocks can be significantly affected by power supply induced jitter. Jitter refers to the deviation in the timing of clock signals with PDN noise compared to ideal… Read More


Clock Verification for Mobile SoCs

Clock Verification for Mobile SoCs
by Daniel Payne on 06-28-2023 at 6:00 am

Clock duty cycle distortion

The relentless advancement of mobile phone technology continues to push boundaries, demanding SoCs that deliver ever-increasing performance while preserving extensive battery life. To meet these demands, the industry is progressively embracing lower technology nodes with current designs being taped-out at 5nm or below.… Read More


Analyzing Clocks at 7nm and Smaller Nodes

Analyzing Clocks at 7nm and Smaller Nodes
by Daniel Payne on 10-04-2022 at 10:00 am

Aging Clock

In the good old days the clock signal looked like a square wave , and had a voltage swing of 5 volts, however with 7nm technology the clock signals can now look more like a sawtooth signal and may not actually reach the full Vdd value of 0.65V inside the core of a chip. I’ll cover some of the semiconductor market trends, and then challenges… Read More


Methodology to Minimize the Impact of Duty Cycle Distortion in Clock Distribution Networks

Methodology to Minimize the Impact of Duty Cycle Distortion in Clock Distribution Networks
by Kalar Rajendiran on 09-26-2022 at 6:00 am

Figure Gate Failing to Reach 1.1V

Synchronous circuits dominate the electronic world because clocking eases the design of circuits compared to asynchronous circuits. At the same time, clocking also introduces its share of challenges to overcome. No wonder, a tremendous amount of time and effort have been spent over the years on developing and implementing … Read More


WEBINAR: Challenges in analyzing High Performance clocks at 7nm and below process nodes

WEBINAR: Challenges in analyzing High Performance clocks at 7nm and below process nodes
by Daniel Nenni on 05-10-2022 at 6:00 am

Clock analysis rail to rail

Proper clock functionality and performance are essential for SoC operation. Static timing analysis (STA) tools have served well for verifying clocks, yet with new advanced process nodes, lower operating voltages, higher clock speeds and higher reliability requirements, STA tools alone can’t perform the kinds of analysis… Read More


WEBINAR: Overcome Aging Issues in Clocks at Sub-10nm Designs

WEBINAR: Overcome Aging Issues in Clocks at Sub-10nm Designs
by Daniel Nenni on 03-25-2022 at 8:00 am

Infinisim Webinar

We all know that designers work hard to reach design closure on SOC designs. However, what gets less attention from consumers is the effort that goes into ensuring that these chips will be fully operational and meeting timing specs over their projected lifetime. Of course, this is less important for chips used in devices with projected… Read More


White Paper: A Closer Look at Aging on Clock Networks

White Paper: A Closer Look at Aging on Clock Networks
by Tom Simon on 01-02-2022 at 6:00 am

Transistor Aging

We all know that designers work hard to reach design closure on SOC designs. However, what gets less attention from consumers is the effort that goes into ensuring that these chips will be fully operational and meeting timing specs over their projected lifetime. Of course, this is less important for chips used in devices with projected… Read More


Live 58th Design Automation Conference Coverage!

Live 58th Design Automation Conference Coverage!
by Daniel Nenni on 12-05-2021 at 10:00 am

Dan and Shushana Friday Harbor San Juan Islands

My beautiful first mate and I will be together at DAC this year. Her first DAC was 1985 in Las Vegas and we lived happily ever after. SemiWiki bloggers Tom Dillinger and Daniel Payne will also be at DAC attending sessions and meeting with exhibiting companies to learn and blog about the latest innovations inside the semiconductor … Read More