Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of integrated circuit design; more specifically, it relates to a method for designing a voltage partitioned solder-bump package.  
           [0002]    In an effort to increase performance, lower power consumption and integrate several integrated circuit technologies on the same chip, the concept of voltage islands has been introduced into integrated circuit design.  
           [0003]    The voltage island concept allows for one or more regions of an integrated chip (islands) to be powered by both a chip wide power source (VDD) and one or more additional, voltage island power sources (VDDX.) VDDX and VDD can be switched on and off by the user as the operation of the integrated circuit demands. However, integrated circuit chips are generally mounted to a next higher level of packaging. One widely used class of packages is solder-bump packages. Solder bump packages derive their name from the fact that integrated circuit chips are attached to pads on the package with solder bumps. Solder bump connections are also known as C4 (controlled collapse chip connections.)  
           [0004]    A solder bump package for an integrated circuit chip having a voltage island (a voltage partitioned solder-bump package) must be compatible with and capable of supporting the power distribution and noise requirements of the voltage island, while not violating the geometric constraints of the solder-bump package technology. Such restraints include, for example, placement of package voltage island power planes to be under the solder bumps to provide low inductance, thus restricting which and how many package pins may be assigned to a particular voltage island. Additionally, the presence of power and signal planes in the package substrate must be accounted for.  
           [0005]    Present design methodology for voltage partitioned solder-bump packages relies heavily on user intervention and trial and error approaches that are both costly and time consuming. An automated design methodology for voltage partitioned solder-bump packages would greatly speed up the solder-bump package design process and reduce costs.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    A first aspect of the present invention is a method of designing voltage partitions in a solder bump package for a chip, comprising: determining the current requirements of a chip voltage island, the chip voltage island including chip power and signal pads, and creating an equivalent circuit model of the chip voltage island; defining a package voltage island, the package voltage island including power and signal package pins, and creating an equivalent circuit model of the package voltage island; analyzing electrical attributes of a combination of the chip voltage island model and the package voltage island model; and modifying the package voltage island until the electrical attributes are acceptable.  
           [0007]    A second aspect of the present invention is a computer system comprising a processor, an address/data bus coupled to the processor, and a computer-readable memory unit coupled to communicate with the processor, the memory unit containing instructions that when executed implement a method for designing voltage partitions in a package for a chip, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: determining the current requirements of a chip voltage island, the chip voltage island including chip power and signal pads, and creating an equivalent circuit model of the chip voltage island; defining a package voltage island, the package voltage island including power and signal package pins, and creating an equivalent circuit model of the package voltage island; analyzing electrical attributes of a combination of the chip voltage island model and the package voltage island model; and modifying the package voltage island until the electrical attributes are acceptable.  
           [0008]    A third aspect of the present invention is a program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for designing voltage partitions in a package for a chip the method steps comprising: determining the current requirements of a chip voltage island, the chip voltage island including chip power and signal pads, and creating an equivalent circuit model of the chip voltage island; defining a package voltage island, the package voltage island including power and signal package pins, and creating an equivalent circuit model of the package voltage island; analyzing electrical attributes of a combination of the chip voltage island model and the package voltage island model; and modifying the package voltage island until the electrical attributes are acceptable. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    The features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a top view of a voltage partitioned solder-bump package according to the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the voltage partitioned solder-bump package illustrated in FIG. 1, according to the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram describing the method of designing a voltage partitioned solder-bump package according to the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram describing in detail step  165  of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, according to the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating exemplary layouts of a chip voltage island according to the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a plot of current vs. time illustrating current flow in a voltage island according to the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a diagram of an equivalent circuit model of a chip voltage island according to the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 is a flow diagram describing in detail step  170  of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, according to the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 an exemplary diagram illustrating initial definition of the layout of a package voltage island according to the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 10 is an equivalent circuit model diagram of a package voltage island channel according to the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 11 is a flow diagram describing in detail steps  175  and  180  of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, according to the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 12 is a diagram of a noise analysis model of a chip voltage island combined with a package voltage island model according to the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 13 is a plot of voltage vs. time illustrating noise induced in a quiet channel by an active channel according to the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 14 is partial top view illustrating initial package pins assigned to package voltage island and optionally added package voltage island VDDX pin  300 D assigned after noise analysis;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 15 is a table illustrating a package design specification according to the present invention; and  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of a general-purpose computer for practicing the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 is a top view of a voltage partitioned solder-bump package according to the present invention. Integrated circuit device  100  includes an integrated circuit chip  105  mounted to a solder-bump package  110 . Integrated circuit chip  105  includes a multiplicity of chip pads  115  arranged in a matrix. Solder bump package  110  contains a multiplicity of pins  120  arranged in a matrix. Pins  120  are used to supply power and signals to integrated circuit chip  105 . Within integrated chip  105  is a chip voltage island(s)  125 . Chip voltage island  125  is powered by both VDD and one or more additional power sources VDDX. Chip voltage island  125  is connected to a multiplicity of chip voltage island pads  115 A. Chip voltage island pads  115 A are a subset of chip pads  115  that are physically located in the outline of the chip voltage island. The outline of a package voltage island  155 , at least a portion of which extends under chip voltage island  125 , is also illustrated in FIG. 1.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the voltage partitioned solder-bump package illustrated in FIG. 1, according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, solder-bump package  110  includes a multiplicity of package pads  130  arranged in a matrix on a top surface  135  of the package. Pins  120  are arranged in a matrix and protrude from a bottom surface  140  of solder-bump package  110 . Solder-bump package  110  contains a multiplicity of signal planes  145  that carry I/O signals between package pads  130  and pins  120 . Solder-bump package  110  also contains a multiplicity of power planes  150  that carry VDD, VDDX and GND between package pads  130  and pins  120 . At least a portion of package voltage island  155  extends under and is approximately aligned to chip voltage island  125 . Package voltage island  155  is a region of solder-bump package  110  containing package voltage island pins  120 A (which are a subset of pins  130 ), package voltage island pads  130 A (which are a subset of package pads  130 )and wherein package voltage island signal planes  145 A and package voltage island power planes  150 A are dedicated to carry signals and VDD/VDDX/GND respectively only to chip voltage island  125 . It is possible to have non-voltage island pins within the outline of package voltage island  155 .  
         [0028]    Pins  120  are connected to package pads  130  by channels. For example, one package voltage island pin  120 A is electrically connected to one package voltage island pad  130 A by a channel  127 . Only one channel is illustrated in FIG. 2, but generally, there is one channel for each package pin  120  and corresponding package pad  130 . Package pads  130  are electrically connected to chip pads  115  by solder bumps  160 . In the present example, each signal path includes a pin, a package channel, a package pad, a solder bump and a chip pad. Vertical signal and power connections are made by vias (not illustrated) extending between signal and power planes through openings in power planes  145 .  
         [0029]    The solder bump package illustrated in FIG. 2 is a pin grid array (PGA) package. The present invention may be applied to other package types. Examples of other package types include, but are not limited to, ball grid array (BGA) packages and column grid array (CGA) packages. Obviously, solder-bump package  110  is also a multi-layer package, examples of which include multi-layer ceramic (MLC) packages.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram describing the method of designing a voltage partitioned solder-bump package according to the present invention. In step  165 , chip voltage island  125  is designed. The method of designing chip voltage island  125  includes determining the current related parameters of the voltage island, the area of the voltage island, assigning chip voltage island pads  115 A to the chip voltage island and creating a model of the chip voltage island. Step  165  is illustrated in FIG. 4, and described in more detail below.  
         [0031]    In step  170 , package voltage island  155  is designed. The method of designing package voltage island  155  includes defining the area of the region of solder-bump package  110  assigned to the package voltage island, defining the shape of the package voltage island and creating a package voltage island inductance model. Step  170  is illustrated in FIG. 8, and described in more detail below.  
         [0032]    In step  175 , the chip voltage island model is combined with the package voltage island inductance model, a noise analysis (analysis of other electrical attributes such as power supply impedance analysis, power supply resonance analysis, signal integrity analysis and signal jitter analysis may also be done) is performed and corrective changes to the design of package voltage island  155  are made if necessary. Step  175  is illustrated in FIG. 11, and described in more detail below.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram describing in detail step  165  of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, according to the present invention. In step  185 , chip voltage island  125  is defined based on circuit requirements. The voltage supply and power bus distribution of voltage island  125  is separated from the non-voltage island region of chip  105 . The area of chip voltage island  125  is also defined. In step  190 , the number of chip voltage island pads  115 A and their assignments for VDD, VDDX, GND and I/O signals are made. Layout of voltage island  125  is also determined. FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate two example voltage island layouts and pad assignments. In step  195 , based on the circuit requirements for voltage island  125  the average current (Iavg), the peak current (Ipeak) and current slew rate (dl/dt) can be determined from either the specification of the voltage island or from a circuit model of the voltage island. A typical plot of current vs. time for a voltage island is illustrated in FIG. 6 and described below.  
         [0034]    Next, in step  200 , a chip voltage island model is created. The current requirements determined in step  195  are used as input data to the chip voltage island model. A diagram of a chip voltage island model is illustrated in FIG. 7 and described below.  
         [0035]    In one example, the chip voltage island model is created from design specifications and inputted to a SPICE (simulation program for integrated circuits emphasis) based software package. SPICE is a circuit simulator that was originally developed at the Electronics Research Laboratory of the University of California, Berkeley (1975) and many well-known commercial software packages are available. In a SPICE simulator, the user inputs circuit models in a spice netlist format. The simulator may calculate and plot nodal voltages and currents in both time and frequency domains.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating exemplary layouts of a chip voltage island according to the present invention. In FIG. 5A, a voltage island  125 A is designed as a rectangle and chip pads have been assigned as signal I/O pads  205 , VDD pads  210 , VDDX pads  215  and GND pads  220 . In FIG. 5B, a voltage island  125 B is designed in an irregular shape and chip pads have been assigned as signal I/O pads  205 , VDD pads  210 , VDDX pads  215  and GND pads  220 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 6 is a plot of current vs. time illustrating current flow in a voltage island according to the present invention. In FIG. 6, IPEAK is the maximum current voltage island  125  draws. Generally, voltage island  125  is drawing IPEAK for only a short time, but the power buses must be able to supply IPEAK without exceeding IR and L dl/dt drop limits. IAVG is the time averaged current voltage island  125  is drawing. dl/dt is the rate of rise or fall of current in voltage island  125 . The power buses must be able to supply quick rises and falls in current without exceeding IR and L dl/dt drop limits.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 7 is a diagram of an equivalent circuit model of a chip voltage island according to the present invention. In FIG. 7, a chip power bus  225  is modeled as a VDDX bus  230  between nodes “A 1 ” and “A 2 ” having a series resistance and inductance and parallel capacitance RLC 1 , a GND bus  235  between nodes “B 1 ” and “B 2 ” having a series resistance and inductance and parallel capacitance RLC 2  and a VDD bus  240  between nodes “C 1 ” and “C 2 ” having a series resistance and inductance and parallel capacitance RLC 3 . For a simple model, at low frequency, only resistance need be modeled. At edge rate knee frequencies approaching 1 GHz, resistance, capacitance and inductance should be modeled for accuracy. At 10 GHz and higher, resistance, capacitance and inductance almost certainly should be modeled.  
         [0039]    The load on power bus  225  is modeled as a first load  245  across nodes “A 1 ” and “B 1 ,” a second load  250  across nodes “A 2 ” and “B 2 ,” a third load  255  across nodes “C 1 ” and “B 1 ” and a fourth load  260  across nodes “C 2 ” and “B 2 .” First load  245  is modeled as a current source  11  and a resistance, capacitance and inductance RLC 4 . Second load  250  is modeled as a current source  12  and a resistance, capacitance and inductance RLC 5 . Third load  255  is modeled as a current source  13  and a resistance, capacitance and inductance RLC 6 . Fourth load  260  is modeled as a current source  14  and a resistance, capacitance and inductance RLC 7 . First and second loads  245  and  250  are powered by VDDX while third and fourth loads  255  and  260  are powered by VDD. While four loads are illustrated in FIG. 7, generally there is a multiplicity of loads  
         [0040]    VDDX is supplied to VDDX bus  230  from a VDDX chip pad  265 . GND is supplied to GND bus  235  from a GND chip pad  270 . VDD is supplied to VDD bus  240  from a VDD chip pad  275 . There may be multiple VDDX, VDD and GND chip pads.  
         [0041]    While only one VDDX, VDD and GND chip pads are illustrated in FIG. 7, generally there is a multiplicity of VDDX, VDD and GND pads for each voltage island. FIG. 7 is an example of how the circuits and package may be modeled. The actual model used will depend upon the chip power bus design and types of circuits utilized.  
         [0042]    Voltage drops are calculated at nodes A 1  and A 2 , B 1  and B 2  and C 1  and C 2 .  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 8 is a flow diagram describing in detail step  170  of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, according to the present invention. In step  280 , package voltage island  155  is defined. Package voltage island  155  is defined in the first pass based on the number of signal I/O&#39;s required and the VDD, VDDX current requirements of chip voltage island  125 .  
         [0044]    In step  285 , package voltage island  155  is designed. Because of the need to reduce package inductance, package voltage island is placed at least partially under and may extend outward of the outline of chip voltage island  125 . Generally package voltage island is one contiguous region that mimics the geometry of chip voltage island  125  with a one to one mapping of chip signal I/O pads to package signal I/O pins, but not necessarily a one to one mapping of VDD, VDDX and GND voltage island chip pads to package voltage island VDD, VDDX and GND pins. An example of mapping a chip voltage island to a package voltage island is illustrated in FIG. 9 and described below.  
         [0045]    In step  290 , a package voltage island inductance model is created using an electromagnetic field solver. An electromagnetic field solver is a software tool that reads in the geometry (length and cross-section) of conductor structures, and given the dielectric constant of the medium, generates the electrical equivalent R (resistor), C (capacitor) and L (inductor) circuit representation at the circuit operating frequency. An example of an electromagnetic field solver software tool is HFSS by the Ansoft Corporation (Pittsburgh, Pa.) An example of an a package voltage island inductance model is illustrated in FIG. 10 and described below.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 9 is a exemplary diagram illustrating initial definition of the layout of a package voltage island according to the present invention. In FIG. 9 a chip voltage island  125 C on an integrated circuit chip  105 C includes two VDD pads  210 , two VDDX pads  215 , four GND pads  220  and four signal I/O pads  205 A through  205 D. A package voltage island  155 C on an solder-bump package  110 C includes one VDD pin  295 C, one VDDX pin  300 C, four GND pins  305 C and four signal I/O pins  310 A through  310 D.  
         [0047]    In the completed package design, package voltage island signal I/O pads corresponding to chip voltage island signal I/O pads are wired through channels in the solder-bump package so, after reflow of the solder bumps (also called C4 solder balls), signal I/O pad  205 A is electrically connected to signal I/O pin  310 A, signal I/O pad  205 B is electrically connected to signal I/O pin  310 B, signal I/O pad  205 C is electrically connected to signal I/O pin  310 C and signal I/O pad  205 D is electrically connected to signal I/O pin  310 D.  
         [0048]    Package voltage island VDD pads corresponding to chip voltage island VDD pads are wired through power planes in the solder-bump package so, after reflow of the solder bumps VDD pads  210  are electrically connected to VDD pin  295 C.  
         [0049]    Package voltage island VDDX pads corresponding to chip voltage island VDDX pads are wired through power planes in the solder-bump package so, after reflow of the solder bumps VDDX pads  215  are electrically connected to VDDX pin  300 C.  
         [0050]    Package voltage island GND pads corresponding to chip voltage island GND pads are wired through power planes in the solder-bump package so, after reflow of the solder bumps GND pads  220  are electrically connected to GND pins  305 C.  
         [0051]    While signal I/Os are mapped one for one, VDD, VDDX and GND do not need to be mapped one for one. Additionally, while voltage island I/O signal wiring and pins as well as voltage island VDD wiring and pins and voltage island VDDX wiring and pins must remain within the package voltage island outline.  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 10 is an equivalent circuit model diagram of a package voltage island according to the present invention. In FIG. 10, a wiring channel  315  has a first end  320  coupled to a package voltage island pad  130 A and a second end  325  coupled to a package voltage island pin  120 A. A frequency dependent resistor Rf 1  is modeled between package voltage island pad  130 A and first end  320 . The field solver represents the inductance of channel  315  on package voltage island power planes  150 A as a network of inductors L 1  through L 1 +N, each inductor coupled to ground through a capacitor C 1  to C 1 +N.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 11 is a flow diagram describing in detail steps  175  and  180  of the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, according to the present invention. In step  330 , the chip voltage island model is combined with the package voltage island inductance model and inputted to a simulator such as SPICE. In step  335 , the combined chip voltage island/package voltage island model is analyzed for noise, again using a simulator such as SPICE. In the present example, the analysis is limited to noise, but other analysis such as power supply impedance analysis, power supply resonance analysis, signal integrity analysis and signal jitter analysis may also be done using similar techniques as used for noise analysis. Noise is a voltage spike (Î″I) induced in a quiet channel by an active channel when the active channel is switching. An example of noise induced in a quiet channel by an active channel is illustrated in FIG. 13 and described below. In step  340 , a determination is made if the noise level of the combined chip voltage island/package voltage island model is acceptable (within specification.)  
         [0054]    If in step  340 , the noise level is acceptable then the method proceeds to step  345 . In step  345 , a package design specification is generated and the method terminates. A package design specification is illustrated in FIG. 15 and described below.  
         [0055]    If in step  340 , the noise level is not acceptable then the method proceeds to step  350 . In step  350 , three possible actions may be taken to modify the package voltage island. The first possible action is to add more power pins to the package voltage island. This option is illustrated in FIG. 14 and described below. The second possible action is to increase the area of the package voltage island region of the solder-bump package in order to increase the power pin count. The third possible action is to reassign chip voltage island (also the corresponding package voltage island pads) between VDD, VDDX and GND. After one of the actions is taken the method loops to step  280  of FIG. 8. Assignment of another package voltage island pad to a package voltage island is illustrated in FIG. 14 and described below.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 12 is a diagram of a noise analysis model of chip voltage island combined with a package voltage island according to the present invention. In FIG. 12 a first driver  355 A on chip voltage island  125  is connected to a first channel  360 A on package voltage island  155  through a first solder-bump  160 . A second driver  355 B on chip voltage island  125  is connected to a second channel  360 B on package voltage island  155  through a second solder-bump  160 .  
         [0057]    First channel  360 A is designated active as the model simulates a signal to the first channel. Second channel  360 B is designated quiet as the model determines what signal is induced in the second channel in responds to first channel  360 A being active.  
         [0058]    [0058]FIG. 13 is a plot of voltage vs. time illustrating noise induced in a quiet channel by an active channel according to the present invention. In FIG. 13 as active channel  360 A switches low to high a negative voltage spike  365 A, is induced in quiet channel  360 B. A positive voltage spike  365 B is induced in quiet channel  360 B when active channel  360 A switches from high to low.  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 14 is partial top view illustrating initial package pins assigned to package voltage island and optionally added package voltage island VDDX pin  300 D assigned after noise analysis. In the example of FIG. 14, package voltage island  155 D is identical to package voltage island  155 C illustrated in FIG. 9 and described above except for the added package voltage island VDDX pin  300 D. In other examples the added pin(s) may be a VDD or a GND pin(s)  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 15 is a table illustrating a package design specification according to the present invention. A package design specification includes at least a list of chip pads IDs (solder bump IDs), a list of the corresponding package pin IDs and a list of corresponding functions for the chip pads.  
         [0061]    Generally, the method described herein with respect to designing a voltage partitioned solder-bump package is practiced with a general-purpose computer and the method may be coded as a set of instructions on removable or hard media for use by the general-purpose computer. FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of a general-purpose computer for practicing the present invention. In FIG. 16, computer system  400  has at least one microprocessor or central processing unit (CPU)  405 . CPU  405  is interconnected via a system bus  410  to a random access memory (RAM)  415 , a read-only memory (ROM)  420 , an input/output (I/O) adapter  425  for connecting a removable data and/or program storage device  430  and a mass data and/or program storage device  435 , a user interface adapter  440  for connecting a keyboard  445  and a mouse  450 , a port adapter  455  for connecting a data port  460  and a display adapter  465  for connecting a display device  470 .  
         [0062]    ROM  420  contains the basic operating system for computer system  400 . Examples of removable data and/or program storage device  430  include magnetic media such as floppy drives and tape drives and optical media such as CD ROM drives. Examples of mass data and/or program storage device  435  include hard disk drives and non-volatile memory such as flash memory. In addition to keyboard  445  and mouse  450 , other user input devices such as trackballs, writing tablets, pressure pads, microphones, light pens and position-sensing screen displays may be connected to user interface  440 . Examples of display devices include cathode-ray tubes (CRT) and liquid crystal displays (LCD).  
         [0063]    A computer program with an appropriate application interface may be created by one of skill in the art and stored on the system or a data and/or program storage device to simplify the practicing of this invention. In operation, information for or the computer program created to run the present invention is loaded on the appropriate removable data and/or program storage device  430 , fed through data port  460  or typed in using keyboard  445 .  
         [0064]    The description of the embodiments of the present invention is given above for the understanding of the present invention. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of various modifications, rearrangements and substitutions as will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the following claims cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 3