Process Variations and Probabilistic Integrated Circuit Design

Uncertainty in key parameters within a chip and between different chips in the deep sub micron era plays a more and more important role. As a result, manufacturing process spreads need to be considered during the design process. Quantitative methodology is needed to ensure faultless functionality, despite existing process variations within given bounds, during product development.

This book presents the technological, physical, and mathematical fundamentals for a design paradigm shift, from a deterministic process to a probability-orientated design process for microelectronic circuits. Readers will learn to evaluate the different sources of variations in the design flow in order to establish different design variants, while applying appropriate methods and tools to evaluate and optimize their design.

• Trains IC designers to recognize problems caused by parameter variations during manufacturing and to choose the best methods available to mitigate these issues during the design process;
• Offers both qualitative and quantitative insight into critical effects of process variation from perspectives of manufacturing, electronic design automation and circuit design;
• Describes critical effects of process variation using simple examples that can be reproduced by the reader.