Simulation software addresses high-frequency effects
In the microchip industry, there is a never-ending quest for higher clock speed as it directly affects performance. As microchip producers push the envelope with Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI), they require better tools to simulate the response of the components at higher frequencies. At high frequencies, fluctuations in the electromagnetic field induce what are known as high-frequency effects. These include the skin effect, the proximity effect, substrate coupling and others, all of which cause dispersion and loss. MAGWEL, a Belgian company active in silicon simulation techniques, has developed a new software code to model chip architecture. The code employs an electromagnetic solver that solves the set of four simultaneous Maxwell equations, which govern the behavior of electric and magnetic fields, using numerical methods The advantage of the specific lattice-gauge solver used is that it provides a self-consistent solution. The code also accounts for phenomena deriving from Ohm's Law and drift-diffusion theory. The code is generic, but can also be customised according to customer specifications. Commercial exploitation is underway. Both chip and semiconductor manufacturers are potential customers and a patent has been applied for. MAGWEL is searching for venture capital to help establish a spin-off company.
