A new on-wafer de-embedding technique for on-chip rf transmission line interconnect characterization

Abstract

This paper introduces a new de-embedding method for on-chip RF transmission line characterization. The new technique allows subtraction of pad parasitics based on measurements of only two LI=L and Lz=N.L (N being a discrete number) long transmission lines with attached measurement pads. No dummy “open”, “short” and “thru” devices are required. The new method has also been extended for the case when Lz#N.L, and only L,, L2 and AL= L,-L, long interconnects with attached pads are available on the test wafer. The proposed methodology has been compared with several well-known de-embedding approaches (“thru”, “open-short” aed “short-open“) and with simulation results from the industry standard electromagnetic solver (lE3D) for de-embedding of on-chip interconnects at frequencies up to 70GHz.