Modeling the substrate effect in interconnect line characteristics of high-speed VLSI circuits

A new analytic model for interconnect characteristics is proposed. The model includes the frequency-dependent distribution of the current on the interconnect lines and the substrate as the current path. The validity of the proposed model has been checked by a comparison with the measurement data and the numerical simulation. Through this work, it is found that the substrate return path must be considered for the accurate prediction of the high-frequency characteristics of interconnects.