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Transforming pre-layout IC reliability analysis with Siemens Insight Analyzer

By Matthew Hogan

As the industry continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in IC design, the need for compelling design verification tools has become increasingly critical. Enter [stage left] Siemens’ Insight Analyzer, a game-changing solution that is transforming the way engineers approach verification starting in the early stages of IC design. Insight Analyzer helps designers identify and address design-specific potential circuit reliability failures, bolstering circuit design confidence in achieving first-pass silicon success. It is used earlier in the design flow than other reliability analysis tools, operating on a pre-layout netlist.

The shift-left mindset: catching issues early

In most IC design projects, time is of the essence. Traditionally, verification has been left until the later stages of the design process. However, this approach can lead to costly and time-consuming rework, as issues that could have been caught early on are only discovered much later.

Insight Analyzer takes a different approach, embracing the “shift-left” mindset. By integrating leakage and reliability verification into the pre-layout stages of the design process, engineers can identify and address potential issues before they become larger problems. This not only saves time and resources but also helps to ensure that the final product meets the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Figure 1. Adopt a shift-left mindset with Insight Analyzer to catch issues early in the design process.

Insight Analyzer takes a holistic view of the circuit and its functionality, unlike other solutions that are net and device centric. It automatically recognizes structures like logic gates, latches, current mirrors and level shifters to help it understand the big picture. Insight Analyzer provides an exceptional platform for leakage and high-impedance checks.

Identifying leakage issues

One of the key challenges in IC design is managing leakage, a phenomenon that can have a significant impact on a device’s power, performance, area (PPA) and reliability. Leakage can occur in a variety of ways, from parasitic leakage to analog gate leakage and digital gate leakage, and it’s a problem that must be addressed with great care.

Analog gate leakage

Eliminate high current drain by removing leakage from power supply to ground through MOSFET stacks, gate inputs floating and high impedance state. Low reliability is a result due to improper states and unreliable outcomes.

Digital gate leakage

Identify power management/mismatch issues, inputs under-driven (missing level-shifter) or floating in a high impedance state. These conditions lead to low reliability (improper states, unreliable outcomes) and high current drain.     

Parasitic leakage      

Identify long-term reliability risks, device degradation, short-term risks and poor power performance. Verify leakage through parasitic body diodes, bulks that are not biased high (PMOS) or low enough (NMOS).

Insight Analyzer is designed to tackle these leakage issues head-on. Using advanced algorithms, the tool can quickly and accurately identify the risk of leakage between power domains, as well as a host of other circuit reliability issues. This level of circuit analysis is crucial, as even the most subtle of circuit changes can have a profound impact on the overall quality and reliability of the design.

Complementing simulation

While circuit simulation is a powerful tool in the IC designer’s arsenal, it has its limitations. Knowing where to look for potential issues can be a challenge, especially as designs become increasingly complex, with multiple power domains and a vast array of interconnected components.

Insight Analyzer steps in to fill the gap between static checking and full system simulation. By using a form of state-based analysis that static ERC tools cannot match, the tool is able to identify issues that may be missed by simulation alone. This complementary approach ensures that designers have a comprehensive view of their design, allowing them to address potential problems before they become critical.

The STMicroelectronics experience: a case study

The power of Insight Analyzer is not just theoretical – it’s been proven in real-world applications. One such example is the experience of STMicroelectronics, a leading semiconductor manufacturer.

In a paper presented at the Siemens EDA User2User conference, the STMicroelectronics team shared their journey in detecting and addressing high impedance (HiZ) net issues in their designs. The team recognized that while HiZ nets are often seen as problematic, the reality is more nuanced. By understanding the context in which a circuit is used and the local biasing of the circuit, they were able to better comprehend the true nature and degree of concern.

Insight Analyzer played a crucial role in this process, allowing the STMicroelectronics team to increase the coverage of their verification efforts. The team praised the tool’s ease of use, noting that their users were able to become operational within just a few hours of first using it.

The importance of early reliability verification

As the industry continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in IC design, the need for robust reliability verification tools has never been greater. Mitigating reliability and leakage issues requires a proactive approach, one that embraces the shift-left mindset and integrates these critical checks into the early stages of the design process.

Insight Analyzer is at the forefront of this revolution, providing designers with the tools they need to identify and address potential issues before they become larger problems. By complementing traditional simulation approaches and offering advanced leakage analysis capabilities, the tool helps to ensure that the final product meets the highest standards of quality and reliability. Ready to unlock the full potential of your IC design process? Discover how Siemens’ Insight Analyzer can transform the way you approach reliability verification in our recent technical paper Beyond simulation: Transforming early IC design with Insight Analyzer | Siemens Software

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This article first appeared on the Siemens Digital Industries Software blog at https://blogs.sw.siemens.com/calibre/2025/01/22/transforming-pre-layout-ic-reliability-analysis-with-siemens-insight-analyzer/