Achieving power and reliability sign-off for automotive semiconductor designs

Providing high quality automotive electronics with low power consumption and high operating performance requires excellent engineering methodology using the most accurate models (APL, CMM, .libs etc). Dynamic voltage drop affects power, timing and reliability of a design. In order to see the correct hot spots and decide on the appropriate counter measures without over-design, it is crucial to have the most accurate models. This presentation discusses the accuracy requirements at Infineon and the established dynamic voltage drop sign-off flow based on absolute voltage levels that affect the data integrity, as well as switching (timing) and non-switching (signal noise) signals. The automobile has evolved from merely a vehicle for simple transport to a rolling electro-mechanical lab, filled with lots of sophisticated electronics that must work in concert with complex mechanical components. To attain this objective, it is necessary to establish a system of close cooperation between the automobile industry and the electronics industry, and also to produce parts of high reliability for use in automotive electronic devices. In order to produce “100% reliable” products, it is imperative to have high quality reliability measures. The presentation will also discuss how at Infineon we make sure to check and fix different reliability issues.