On-chip interconnects: giga hertz and beyond

Due to the excessive loss of long signal lines and limited DC and AC current carrying capacity, pushing the conventional on-chip interconnect system into multi-GHz VLSIs will soon hit performance barriers. Introduction of metal planes or meshes into on-chip interconnects provides an impedance-controlled environment for signal lines, and combined with larger signal lines, the long lossy line problem can be solved. Planes also help distribute power with minimal AC/DC noise. As an additional feature, integration of passive elements into on-chip interconnects will be very useful for realization of a fully integrated “system-on-a-chip”