High-Speed Driven Technological Improvements Impact on Interconnect Thermal Reliability in VLSI Circuits

The complexity of huge-scale integrated circuits allowed by technology scaling down breeds design problems for the diÆculty in managing deep-submicron drawbacks. Thermal e ects have increasing impact on power supply bus reliability, and e ective line sizing based on trustable lifetime evaluation is of basic importance. This work presents an analysis of the impact on electromigration of technological migrations adopted to allow increasing speed and to reduce other deep-submicron side-e ects. Results are evaluated in terms of line size satisfying a ten-year lifetime and presented comparing two di erent working frequencies, two logic implementations, three metal layers, aluminium and copper and three interlayer materials.