FDTD Modeling Applications in Ultrahigh-Speed Interconnects and Electromagnetic Compatibility of Complex Packages

Abstract

This manuscript presents details of finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) modeling for applications at Intel Corporation in ultrahigh-speed interconnects and electromagnetic compatibility of complex packages. First, an experimental and computational study of substrate integrated waveguides (SIWs) optimized for use as ultrahigh-speed bandpass waveguiding digital interconnects is reported. The novelty of the present work resides in the successful design, fabrication, and testing of low-loss SIWs that achieve 100% relative bandwidths. These SIWs could in principle using standard circuit board technology provide bandpass operation at center frequencies approaching 200 GHz and data rates of 200 Gb/sec. These data rates meet or exceed those expected eventually for proposed silicon photonic technologies. The second FDTD modeling application involves characterizing and solving electromagnetic compatibility problems arising in ultracompact portable electronic devices, such as cellphones operating with mixes of high-speed digital and microwave signals. For this work, an ultra high-resolution full-vector 3D FDTD model of a complete compact portable electronic device is desired. In pursuit of this goal, a sample integrated circuit package is first modeled using 343 million grid cells. As future work, additional components within a sample portable electronic device will be modeled, including the circuit board and its layering details.