Automatic calibration of thermal models

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016239589-A1
Application number	US-201514757891-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 23, 2015
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques for calibrating thermal models are disclosed. A plurality of thermal model parameter value sets for a structure are first determined. Using the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets, thermal transient response simulations are performed to obtain a plurality of simulation results. Each of the plurality of simulation results is derived based on one of the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets. Based on the plurality of simulation results and an experimental result obtained from a thermal transient response measurement of the structure, calibrated thermal model parameter values for the structure are computed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, executed by at least one processor of a computer, comprising:
determining a plurality of thermal model parameter value sets for a structure, each of the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets consisting of preliminary values for a set of thermal model parameters, the structure including at least one microelectronic device; performing thermal transient response simulations using the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets to obtain a plurality of simulation results, each of the plurality of simulation results being derived based on one of the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets; and computing calibrated thermal model parameter values for the structure based on the plurality of simulation results and an experimental result obtained from a thermal transient response measurement of the structure.

2 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the determining is based on minimum values and maximum values for the set of thermal model parameters.

3 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the set of thermal model parameters is a subset of thermal model parameters needed for the thermal transient response simulation.

4 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of simulation results comprises a structure function and the experimental result comprises a structure function.

5 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the computing comprises:
determining a deviation value for each of the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets.

6 . The method recited in claim 5 , wherein the deviation value is a sum of squared errors obtained by comparing a structure function obtained from the each of the thermal transient response simulations to a structure function obtained from the thermal transient response measurement.

7 . The method recited in claim 5 , wherein the computing further comprises:
constructing a response surface function using the deviation values; and determining calibrated thermal model parameter values using response surface methodology.

8 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
determining a plurality of thermal model parameter value sets for a structure, each of the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets consisting of preliminary values for a set of thermal model parameters, the structure including at least one microelectronic device; performing thermal transient response simulations using the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets to obtain a plurality of simulation results, each of the plurality of simulation results being derived based on one of the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets; and computing calibrated thermal model parameter values for the structure based on the plurality of simulation results and an experimental result obtained from a thermal transient response measurement of the structure.

9 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein the determining is based on minimum values and maximum values for the set of thermal model parameters.

10 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein the set of thermal model parameters is a subset of thermal model parameters needed for the thermal transient response simulation.

11 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of simulation results comprises a structure function and the experimental result comprises a structure function.

12 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 8 , wherein the computing comprises:
determining a deviation value for each of the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets.

13 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 12 , wherein the deviation value is a sum of squared errors obtained by comparing a structure function obtained from the each of the thermal transient response simulations to a structure function obtained from the thermal transient response measurement.

14 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 12 , wherein the computing further comprises:
constructing a response surface function using the deviation values; and determining calibrated thermal model parameter values using response surface methodology.

15 . A system, comprising:
one or more processors, the one or more processors programmed to perform a method, the method comprising: determining a plurality of thermal model parameter value sets for a structure, each of the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets consisting of preliminary values for a set of thermal model parameters, the structure including at least one microelectronic device; performing thermal transient response simulations using the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets to obtain a plurality of simulation results, each of the plurality of simulation results being derived based on one of the plurality of thermal model parameter value sets; and computing calibrated thermal model parameter values for the structure based on the plurality of simulation results and an experimental result obtained from a thermal transient response measurement of the structure.

16 . The system recited in claim 15 , wherein the determining is based on minimum values and maximum values for the set of thermal model parameters.

17 . The system recited in claim 15 , wherein the set of thermal model parameters is a subset of thermal model parameters needed for the thermal transient response simulation.

18 . The system recited in claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of simulation results comprises a structure function and the experimental result comprises a structure function.

19 . The system recited in claim 15 , wherein the computing comprises:
constructing a response surface function using deviation values obtained by comparing each of the plurality of simulation results with the experimental result; and determining calibrated thermal model parameter values using response surface methodology.

20 . The system recited in claim 19 , wherein each of the deviation value is a sum of squared errors obtained by comparing a structure function obtained from the each of the thermal transient response simulations to a structure function obtained from the thermal transient response measurement.

Assignees

• Mentor Graphics Corp

Inventors

• Blackmore Byron
• Bornoff Robin

Classifications

• G06F30/367 Primary

  Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods · CPC title

• G06F30/20 Primary

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• G06F2119/08

  Thermal analysis or thermal optimisation · CPC title

• G06F17/5009 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic