Stochastic Simulation of Electronic Circuits and Interconnects

Paolo Manfredi

Electronic Engineering, Politecnico di Torino

Abstract:

The correct numerical simulation of electronic circuits and their interconnections is becoming increasingly affected by inherent variability in the system parameters, such as uncertainties in the geometry and materials, as well as in the values of termination impedances or wave parameters of interfering fields. These quantities can be represented as random variables with suitable distributions, and the system behavior has to be estimated from a statistical standpoint. Owing to this, the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) community is seeking for analysis and design techniques which are capable of efficiently take such randomness into account. In fact, conventional Monte Carlo approach is often computationally prohibitive due to the complexity of the systems and the large number of samples that requires.

In this framework, we developed a technique based on the so-called polynomial chaos (PC) approach for the analysis of electronic systems described by partial differential (MNA-like or telegrapher's) equations. Such method is based on the expansion of the random electrical variables onto orthogonal polynomial bases. Accurate polynomial approximations for the random output variables of interest can be obtained through the solution of augmented but deterministic systems of equations, and used for a fast computation of any relevant statistical information. Implementation of the advocated methodology in standard circuit analysis tools such as SPICE is also possible.

In this talk, an overview of PC will be provided, together with several application examples that demonstrate its strength and flexibility.

Biography:

Paolo Manfredi was born in Borgomanero, Italy, in 1985. He received the Bachelor and Master degrees in Electronic Engineering from the Politecnico di Torino in 2008 and 2009, respectively. In both the Bachelor and Master theses he focused on issues related to the modeling of interconnection structures. Since January 2010, he joined the EMC Group as a PhD student. His research topic concerns extended models for signal propagation and field coupling on interconnects, with a particular focus on stochastic models for the inclusion of uncertainties. Mr. Manfredi was selected for the IBM Best Student Recognition Event in 2009 and won the Best Student Paper Award at the 19th IEEE Conference on Electrical Performance of Electronic Packaging and Systems (EPEPS 2010). Moreover, in 2011 he received an honorable mention at the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2011) and was a Young Scientist awardee at the XXX General Assembly and Scientific Symposium of International Union of Radio Science (URSI GASS 2011).