T-connections, methodology for designing T-connections, and compact modeling of T-connections

A method of modeling a T-connection, comprising:

• inputting a layout of said T-connection consisting of a T-junction comprising:
• a square body having three integral arms, each arm of said three integral arms having first and second opposite sides and having a designed first width and a designed first length, said first width equal to a length of a side of said body, the first side of each arm of said three integral arms coextensive with the side of said body the arm projects from;
• and
• one or two step-junctions having respective first sections of said first width and respective second sections of respective second widths, said second widths different from each other, and a side of each first section coextensive with the second side of a respective arm of said three integral arms;
• calculating, using a first compact model of said T-junction running on a processor, two or more of parasitic resistance, parasitic inductance and parasitic capacitance of said T-junction based on said first length and said first width;
• calculating, using a second compact model of said one or two step-junctions running on said processor, two or more of parasitic resistance, parasitic inductance and parasitic capacitance of said step-junctions based on said first width and said second widths;
• and
• either outputting results of said first and second compact models or inputting said results of said first and second compact models to a performance analysis program.

A method of designing an integrated circuit, comprising:

• (a) selecting a wiring layer of an integrated circuit;
• (b) selecting, using a processor of a computer, a set of three wires to connect using a T-connection PCell having a T-junction and one or two step-junctions, at least two of said wires having different widths, said T-connection PCell comprising:
• said T-junction having a square body having three integral arms, each arm of said three integral arms having first and second opposite sides and having of a designed first width and a designed first length, said first width equal to a length of a side of said body, the first side of each arm of said three integral arms coextensive with the side of said body the arm projects from;
• said one or two step-junctions having respective first sections of said first width and respective second sections of respective second widths, said second widths different from each other, and a side of each first section coextensive with the second side of a respective arm of said three integral arms;
• and
• wherein parameters of said T-connection PCell include said designed first width, said designed first length and said respective second widths;
• (c) selecting, using said processor, said first width to be a width of a first wire of said three wires and selecting said second section widths to be equal to widths of respective second and third wires of said three wires;
• (d) placing, using said processor, said T-connection PCell on a layout of said wiring level to interconnect said three wires;
• and
• (e) outputting said layout.

A computer system comprising a processor, an address/data bus coupled to said processor, and a computer-readable memory unit coupled to communicate with said processor, said memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a method for designing an integrated circuit, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:

• (a) selecting a wiring layer of an integrated circuit;
• (b) selecting, using a processor of a computer, a set of three wires to connect using a T-connection PCell having a T-junction and one or two step-junctions, at least two of said wires having different widths, said T-connection PCell comprising:
• said T-junction having a square body having three integral arms, each arm of said three integral arms having first and second opposite sides and having of a designed first width and a designed first length, said first width equal to a length of a side of said body, the first side of each arm of said three integral arms coextensive with the side of said body the arm projects from;
• said one or two step-junctions having respective first sections of said first width and respective second sections of respective second widths, said second widths different from each other, and a side of each first section coextensive with the second side of a respective arm of said three integral arms;
• and
• wherein parameters of said T-connection PCell include said designed first width, said designed first length and said respective second widths;
• (c) selecting said first width to be a width of a first wire of said three wires and selecting said second section widths to be equal to widths of respective second and third wires of said three wires;
• (d) placing said T-connection PCell on a layout of said wiring level to interconnect said three wires;
• and
• (e) outputting said layout.