XSIM: An Efficient Crosstalk Simulator for Analysis and Modeling of Signal Integrity Faults in both Defective and Defect-free Interconnects

The paper presents an efficient crosstalk simulator tool "XSIM" and it\´s methodology for analysis and modeling of signal integrity faults in deep sub-micron chips. The tool is used for analyzing the crosstalk coupling behavior in both defective and defect-free two parallel interconnects. Using the XSIM tool one can also determine the critical values of RLGC parasitics of interconnects and the critical values of crosstalk coupling capacitance and bridging resistance (i.e. mutual conductance, if any), beyond which the device will most likely suffer from the signal integrity losses, whereas for lower coupling values the device will continue to behave as crosstalk fault tolerant one. The special feature of XSIM tool is that it is based on an indigenous methodology implemented in Visual C++. The latter implementation provides a user-friendly GUI, which not only makes the tool very easy-to-use but also very accurate, flexible and yet at least 11 times faster than PSPICE circuit simulator.