Integrated circuit design incorporating a power mesh

A method for use in designing an integrated circuit die which includes a semiconductor layer, a primary metal layer, a horizontal metal layer and a vertical metal layer, said method comprising:

• a component layout step of laying out electronic components on the semiconductor layer;
• a network layout step of laying out, on the primary metal layer, a primary power distribution network for distributing power to the electronic components;
• a mesh design step of designing a power mesh that includes horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer, by calculating a uniform trunk width for all of the horizontal power trunks and all of the vertical power trunks based on a desired maximum voltage drop for the electronic component layout generated in said component layout step;
• and
• a mesh layout step of laying out the horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and the vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer using the uniform trunk width calculated in said mesh design step, so as to form the power mesh, and specifying an electrical connection between the power mesh and the primary power distribution network,
• wherein the power mesh is designed to limit a worst case voltage drop to any electronic component on the semiconductor layer to a specified maximum voltage drop, and
• wherein a voltage drop across the primary power distribution network is disregarded when determining the worst case voltage drop.

Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer readable medium, said process steps for use in designing an integrated circuit die which includes a semiconductor layer, a primary metal layer, a horizontal metal layer and a vertical metal layer, said process steps comprising:

• a component layout step to lay out electronic components on the semiconductor layer;
• a network layout step of laying out, on the primary metal layer, a primary power distribution network for distributing power to the electronic components;
• a mesh design step to design a power mesh that includes horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer, by calculating a uniform trunk width for all of the horizontal power trunks and all of the vertical power trunks based on a desired maximum voltage drop for the electronic component layout generated in said component layout step;
• and
• a mesh layout step to lay out the horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and the vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer using the uniform trunk width calculated in said mesh design step, so as to form the power mesh, and to specify an electrical connection between the power mesh and the primary power distribution network,
• wherein the uniform trunk width is also based on wirebond resistance and a number of bond pads.

An apparatus for use in designing an integrated circuit die which includes a semiconductor layer, a primary metal layer, a horizontal metal layer and a vertical metal layer, said apparatus comprising:

• component layout means for laying out electronic components on the semiconductor layer;
• network layout means for laying out, on the primary metal layer, a primary power distribution network for distributing power to the electronic components;
• mesh design means for designing a power mesh that includes horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer, by calculating a uniform trunk width for all of the horizontal power trunks and all of the vertical power trunks based on a desired maximum voltage drop for the electronic component layout generated by said component layout means;
• and
• mesh layout means for laying out the horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and the vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer using the uniform trunk width calculated by said mesh design means, so as to form the power mesh, and for specifying an electrical connection between the power mesh and the primary power distribution network,
• wherein the uniform trunk width is also based on wirebond resistance and a number of bond pads.

A method for use in designing an integrated circuit die which includes a semiconductor layer, a primary metal layer, a horizontal metal layer and a vertical metal layer, said method comprising:

• a component layout step of laying out electronic components on the semiconductor layer;
• a network layout step of laying out, on the primary metal layer, a primary power distribution network for distributing power to the electronic components;
• a mesh design step of designing a power mesh that includes horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer, by calculating a uniform trunk width for all of the horizontal power trunks and all of the vertical power trunks based on a desired maximum voltage drop for the electronic component layout generated in said component layout step;
• and
• a mesh layout step of laying out the horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and the vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer using the uniform trunk width calculated in said mesh design step, so as to form the power mesh, and specifying an electrical connection between the power mesh and the primary power distribution network,
• wherein the uniform trunk width is calculated as follows:
• W trunk = ρ unit × L × K D × I total T ⁡ ( 1 2 ⁢ V desdrop - ( I total 4 ⁢ N × R wb + 1 4 × I avg × R seg ) ) ,
• wherein Wtrunk is the uniform trunk width.

Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer readable medium, said process steps for use in designing an integrated circuit die which includes a semiconductor layer, a primary metal layer, a horizontal metal layer and a vertical metal layer, said process steps comprising:

• a component layout step to lay out electronic components on the semiconductor layer;
• a network layout step of laying out, on the primary metal layer, a primary power distribution network for distributing power to the electronic components;
• a mesh design step to design a power mesh that includes horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer, by calculating a uniform trunk width for all of the horizontal power trunks and all of the vertical power trunks based on a desired maximum voltage drop for the electronic component layout generated in said component layout step;
• and
• a mesh layout step to lay out the horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and the vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer using the uniform trunk width calculated in said mesh design step, so as to form the power mesh, and to specify an electrical connection between the power mesh and the primary power distribution network,
• wherein the uniform trunk width is calculated as follows:
• W trunk = ρ unit × L × K D × I total T ⁡ ( 1 2 ⁢ V desdrop - ( I total 4 ⁢ N × R wb + 1 4 × I avg × R seg ) ) ,
• wherein Wtrunk is the uniform trunk width.

An apparatus for use in designing an integrated circuit die which includes a semiconductor layer, a primary metal layer, a horizontal metal layer and a vertical metal layer, said apparatus comprising:

• component layout means for laying out electronic components on the semiconductor layer;
• network layout means for laying out, on the primary metal layer, a primary power distribution network for distributing power to the electronic components;
• mesh design means for designing a power mesh that includes horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer, by calculating a uniform trunk width for all of the horizontal power trunks and all of the vertical power trunks based on a desired maximum voltage drop for the electronic component layout generated by said component layout means;
• and
• mesh layout means for laying out the horizontal power trunks on the horizontal metal layer and the vertical power trunks on the vertical metal layer using the uniform trunk width calculated by said mesh design means, so as to form the power mesh, and for specifying electrical connection between the power mesh and the primary power distribution network,
• wherein the uniform trunk width is calculated as follows:
• W trunk = ρ unit × L × K D × I total T ⁡ ( 1 2 ⁢ V desdrop - ( I total 4 ⁢ N × R wb + 1 4 × I avg × R seg ) ) ,
• wherein Wtrunk is the uniform trunk width.