Noise verification techniques for the mixed-signal chip/package/board of digital TV systems

Digital noise caused by power and signal distribution networks propagates to a noise-sensitive analog macro through the chip, package and board in a mixed-signal system. The noise propagation degrades electrical performances of the mixed-signal system. The latest digital TV systems, especially, mounting an image-processing system LSI request 10-bits accuracy ADCs (Analog-Digital Converter) and the noise suppression of less than 0.24mV(12-bit resolution) in order to realize high-definition video pictures. This paper describes very small noise chip-package-board co-design and verification techniques we developed for mixed-signal systems, like digital TV systems, mounting high-resolution ADCs. Simulations and measurements using a 90-nm process TEG (Test Element Group) chip involving ADCs demonstrate the validation of these techniques. Near magnetic field distributions widely used to diagnose sources of electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems also apply to these noise co-design and co-simulation. We have defined the very small noise described in this paper as “micro noise”.