A sum-over-paths algorithm for third-order impulse-response moment extraction within RC IC-interconnect networks

• 1st stochastic SoP algorithm for 3rd-order impulse-response moments in RC networks.
• Good computational efficiency & full parallelism, for future IC-interconnect CAD.
• A new algebraic proof validating the SoP postulate and algorithm.
• Tested against exact analytical solutions for 3-, 5-, and 10-stage RC lines.
• <0.65% 1-σ error @ 10K statistical samples; <1 s of 2-GHz Pentium™ execution time.

We have created the first stochastic SoP (Sum-over-Paths) algorithm to extract third-order impulse-response (IR) moment within RC IC interconnects. It employs a newly discovered Feynman SoP Postulate. Importantly, our algorithm maintains computational efficiency and full parallelism. Our approach begins with generation of s-domain nodal-voltage equations. We then perform a Taylor-series expansion of the circuit transfer function. These expansions yield transition diagrams involving mathematical coupling constants, or weight factors, in integral powers of complex frequency s. Our SoP Postulate enables stochastic evaluation of path sums within the circuit transition diagram to order s3—corresponding to the order of IR moment (m3) we seek here. We furnish, for the first time, an informal algebraic proof independently validating our SoP Postulate and algorithm. We list, as well, detailed procedural steps, suitable for coding, that define an efficient stochastic algorithm for m3 IR extraction. Origins of the algorithm’s statistical “capacitor-number cubed” correction and “double-counting” weight factors are explained, for completeness. Our algorithm was coded and successfully tested against exact analytical solutions for 3-, 5-, and 10-stage RC lines. We achieved better than 0.65% 1-σ error convergence, after only 10K statistical samples, in less than 1 s of 2-GHz Pentium® execution time. These results continue to suggest that stochastic SoP algorithms may find useful application in circuit analysis of massively coupled networks, such as those encountered in high-end digital IC-interconnect CAD.