Patent ID: 8612199
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of determining the effects of process variations on the leakage of an integrated circuit containing multiple devices, comprising: dividing the circuit into a plurality of distinct components, each component having one or more of said devices, and at least one component having multiple devices; simulating operation of the plurality of distinct components of the circuit using a first set of process parameter values of the devices, the first set of process parameter values corresponding to physical attributes of the devices in the plurality of distinct components; measuring a first set of currents in each of the corresponding components using respective current meters during the simulated operation of the plurality of the distinct components when the components use the first set of process parameter values; using the first set of process parameter values, varying process parameter values of devices corresponding to two or more of the distinct components while not varying the process parameter values of one or more other devices corresponding to the two or more distinct components to form a varied second set of process parameter values of the devices, the varied second set of process parameter values corresponding to physical attributes of the devices in the plurality of distinct components; simulating operation of the plurality of distinct components of the circuit using the varied second set of process parameter values of the devices; measuring a second set of currents in each of the corresponding components using the respective current meters during the simulated operation of the plurality of the distinct components when the components use the varied second set of process parameter values; and determining sensitivity of the circuit to variations of the process parameter values corresponding to the physical attributes of the devices in the plurality of distinct components using the measured first set of currents and the measured second set of currents.