Methodology for determining the placement of decoupling capacitors in a power distribution system

A system for determining the required decoupling capacitors for a power distribution system, the system comprising:

• a computer system configured to:
• determine a target impedance;
• create a power distribution system model, wherein creating the power distribution system model includes selecting a plurality of decoupling capacitors for the power distribution system;
• perform an LC (inductive-capacitive) resonance analysis, wherein said performing the LC resonance analysis includes simulating an injection of a signal at a single node, wherein each of the decoupling capacitors is electrically connected to the single node and a ground node, simulating the sweeping of the signal across a frequency range, comparing first transfer impedance values to the target impedance for one or more frequencies at the single node, repeating said sweeping, said selecting, and said comparing first transfer impedance values until each of the first transfer impedance values is less than or equal to the target impedance;
• simulate the positioning of each of the plurality of decoupling capacitors at evenly spaced intervals in the power distribution system;
• and
• perform a cavity resonance analysis, wherein performing the cavity resonance analysis includes comparing second transfer impedance values to the target impedance for one or more frequencies at a plurality of nodes, repositioning one or more of the plurality of decoupling capacitors, repeating said comparing second transfer impedance values and said repositioning until each of the second transfer impedance values is less than or equal to the target impedance.

A carrier medium, the carrier medium configured for storing instructions that, when executed by a processor coupled to the carrier medium, perform a method for determining the required decoupling capacitors for a power distribution system, the method comprising:

• determining a target impedance;
• creating a power distribution system model, wherein said creating includes selecting a plurality of decoupling capacitors for the power distribution system;
• performing an LC (inductive-capacitive) resonance analysis, wherein said performing the LC resonance analysis includes simulating an injection of a signal a single node, wherein each of the decoupling capacitors is electrically connected to the single node and a ground node, simulating the sweeping of the signal across a frequency range, comparing first transfer impedance values to the target impedance for one or more frequencies at the single node, repeating said sweeping, said selecting, and said comparing first transfer impedance values until each of the first transfer impedance values is less than or equal to the target impedance;
• simulating the positioning of each of the plurality of decoupling capacitors at evenly spaced intervals in the power distribution system;
• and
• performing a cavity resonance analysis, wherein said performing the cavity resonance analysis includes comparing second transfer impedance values to the target impedance for one or more frequencies at a plurality of nodes, repositioning one or more of the plurality of decoupling capacitors, repeating said comparing second transfer impedance values and said repositioning until each of the second transfer impedance values is less than or equal to the target impedance.