The document discusses the challenges of power integrity (PI) as integrated circuit scales continue to shrink. PI degradation increases significantly with each generation, putting a "PI wall" that limits further scaling. Traditional PI analysis is not truly physical and can be overly pessimistic. New differential modeling, continuum analysis, and active noise regulation techniques are needed to manage PI in future nodes. Fundamental methods like on-die capacitance distribution and power grid design, as well as innovation in regulation and integration, are opportunities to overcome the PI wall.

1. Nanoscale Power Delivery & PI
Overview
Raj Nair, Anasim Corp.
Aug. 21, 2013 (Updated)
The Power Integrity (PI) Wall
PI Analysis
Management & Innovation Potential
Publications & Discussion

2. Power Integrity & the PI Wall
PI degradation with scaling* ~= 1
For constant power density (CPD) or constant power (CP) scaling,
where k is the process scaling factor, typically 0.7
Classical CPD/CP scaling → ~70% degradation in PI
· 20nm SoC to 16nm FinFET transition
k √ k
· Appears Constant Power and Constant Power Density, higher cost
· ~40% PI degradation; with k = 0.8 and the inverse k-root-k metric
· 16nm to 10nm
· Scale factor 0.625, leads to > 2X (> 100%) degradation in PI!!
· We have seen PI-related product failures (FMAX, INRUSH I) in the
past and the present. Business as usual NOT an option.
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* “Power Integrity Analysis and Management for ICs”, Prentice-Hall, May 2010

3. PI analysis prior art (Droop, IR Drop)
W i t h D i e C a p s
W i t h o u t D i e C a p s
· Lumped and Polygonal Þ Not True-Physical and Spatio-Temporal, eliminates
spatial variance and temporal coincidence
· Not wideband, and leads to pessimistic, non-optimal chip/pkg/board
design. Loses local resonances, constructive/destructive noise interference
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4. Differential¹ modeling & design
Grids, transmission lines/planes
Abstract, system level, continuous²
No freq/time domain discontinuities
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² “Power Integrity Analysis and Management for ICs”, Prentice-¹ Integrity learning from the SI world and from fundamentals Hall, May 2010

5. PI: How do droops REALLY look?
Supply differential
True-physical power grid noise (π-fp); droops and propagation
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 5

6. Continuum³ analysis insight
True-physical noise wave propagation (rlcsim)
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³ “Power Delivery, Integrity Analysis and Management for SoC's”, SoC 2007, FI

7. PI mngmnt: Fundamental methods
1.6E-06
1.4E-06
1.2E-06
1.0E-06
8.0E-07
6.0E-07
4.0E-07
2.0E-07
0.0E+00
1.5
~130nm process
-2 -1 0 1 2
Vg [V]
C [f/cm^2)
 On-die capacitance
- Quantity
- Type (fixed/variable)
- Degradation in deep
nanoscale (Q, leak)
- Placement and
distribution
VCC
1 nS
A
100
DV= 50mV
1 nS
V
1
Can a fine-grain distribution of de-coupling capacitors minimize the di/dt problem?
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 7

8. PI management: Power Grid Design
Differential grid architecture
Novel simulation algo. IP*
What-if analysis in minutes...
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 8
* “Power Integrity Analysis and Management for ICs”, Prentice-Hall, May 2010

9. PI management: Power Grid Sims
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 9
Anasim Corp., Power Integrity Aware Methodology

10. PI Management: Package Cap Loop-L4
ö
æ
÷ L
V ÷
= V - D I p
s i n (w ) -a - 1
f i t e I r
p
C
1
L D V = k V = D I 1
=
v i k C V f
1 1 1 C
Load-shift induced noise
- Transient DC
- Package dependency
2
L D V = k V = D I 2
=
v i k C V f
2 2 2 C
1
c f
S =
1 0
1
0 . 1
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 10
4 “Power Delivery, Integrity Analysis and Management for SoC's”, SoC 2007, FI
s
t
d
C
ø
ç ç
è
d
L
D V = D I
1
1
1
2
1 1
1
L
V
C
2
2
1
2
2 2
2
L
V
C
2
l S S
Q u in t u p le t a n d T r ip le t lo o p - L s c a lin g
0 . 0 1
P 8 5 8 P 8 6 0 P 1 2 6 2 P 1 2 6 4
P r o c e s s
l o o p - L , p H
Q - s c a l in g T - s c a l i n g
Scaling challenge
- Exponent of scale
factor
- Pkg. caps help, but...

11. PI management: Fast Regulation
· Simulation (0.18μm)
· Idealized parasitics
· 4:1 ESL ratio between
grids
· Capacitance evenly
distributed
· N-Series-Pass
· Inherently stable
· Fast response
· Charge Valve benefits
· ~25% VCC droop
reduction in sim
· Apparently kicks in
within 50pS
LVDCAP and HVDCAP were 5pF
each in the active configuration and
10pF, 0pF in the inactive mode.
65mV droop
Sub-50pS response
88mV droop
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 11
Raj Nair, “Distributed charge Valves”, research conducted in late 1999 at Intel Labs, Oregon

12. PI mngmnt: Active Noise Regulation*
Tested in lumped (b/w) and continuum (π-fp) model simulations
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 12
*Raj Nair, “Active Noise Regulators”, US Patent 7291896,http://www.anasim.com/active-noise-regulation/

13. Distributed Local Voltage Regulation5
 Split, distribute lumped
regulator components
- Switches
- Inductors, CAPs
- Reducing IL per
branch
 Increases Bandwidth
- LC α (1/f2)
- Reducing CAP need
 And Efficiency
- I2R losses reduced
significantly (ind.)
Modular design
- Flexible form factor
- Distributes power and
heat dissipation
Transient-suppressing high-BW regulation6
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 13
5 “Power Delivery, Integrity Analysis and Management for 6 Nair, US patent appl. pub. US 2005/0168890 A1, filed Jan. 24, 2004 SoC's”, SoC 2007, FI

14. PI mngmnt. innovation opportunities
· Board, package, and chip-level
· Regulation, form-factor dependent
· Hybrid regulation
· Active noise regulation
· Distributed voltage regulation
· Integration (on-die, on-pkg...)
· Tools Methodology (Architecture, Design, Verification...)
References
Power Integrity Analysis and Management for Integrated Circuits
Raj Nair Donald Bennett
Prentice-Hall, Publication Date: May 17, 2010 | ISBN-10: 0137011229 | ISBN-13: 978-0137011223 | Edition: 1
http://www.amazon.com/Integrity-Analysis-Management-Integrated-Circuits/dp/0137011229/
Power Integrity for Nanoscale Integrated Systems
Masanori Hashimoto Raj Nair
McGraw-Hill, Publication Date: December 22, 2013 | ISBN-10: 0071787763 | ISBN-13: 978-0071787765 | Edition: 1
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Integrity-Nanoscale-Integrated-Systems/dp/0071787763/
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 14

15. Backup slides
C P U
A c t i v e d e v i c e C a p s A c t i v e d e v i c e
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 15

16. Lumped simulation model with ANR
A N R S c h e m a t ic t h e P S C P O R M o d e l: I llu s t r a t io n s
1 8 n
L 1
3 0 m
R 1 6 m
B o a r d
5 4 p
L m b
0 . 4 2 m
R m b
5
V 1
6 m / n _ o s c
R o s c
v i d R m l c c
V v r
3 . 3 n / n _ o s c
L o s c
5 0 4 u * n _ o s c
C o s c
3 8 5 p
L 4
R e s e r v o ir C A P
3 . 5 p
L p k g
4 m
R 4
A N R C o m p o n e n t
P a c k a g e c o n n .
2 2 u
C 2
0 . 2 6 m
R p k g 4 0 p s / 1 8 8 n
6 . 5 m / n _ 2 t
R 2 t
3 8 5 p / n _ 2 t
L 2 t
1 0 u * n _ 2 t
C 2 t
R d i e
V 2
T r a c e
2 0 m
R 3
6 n
L 3
R 2
3 . 3 n
L 2
5 0 4 u
C 1
Q 1
1
G 1
1 8 8 n
C d i e
6 . 5 m / n _ i d c
R i d c
6 0 p / n _ i d c
L i d c
2 . 2 u * n _ i d c
C i d c
0 . 2 2 m
R s o c k
1 8 p
L s o c k
3 . 5 m / n _ m l c c
1 . 2 n / n _ m l c c
L m l c c
2 0 u * n _ m l c c
C m l c c
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 16

17. PRESCOTT Pre-ANR
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 17

18. PRESCOTT Post-ANR
08/21/13 Anasim Confidential 18