Numerical Investigation of Transmission Lines and Components in Damascene Technology

The development of multilayered, highly integrated circuit boards using damascene technology and copper as a conductor material is a promising way to achieve small and compact modules with high functionality. As copper as conductor can carry much higher current densities as aluminium, the size of transmission lines can be reduced down to a minimum value of 2.5 ¿m in width and 0.4 ¿m height. Different types of lines can be developed in this technology. Due to the small dimensions comparable to the skin depth of the realized structures conductor loss has to be taken into account. Therefore accurate simulation tools, capable of considering also the field inside the conductors, are necessary. Common tools for planar circuit design are not applicable. In this contribution the numerical investigation and comparative study of different transmission lines, done by a mode matching approach and the method of lines, will be presented. Line types with dimensions most suitable to be realized in this technology, are shown.