PDN Channel Builder is one of the solvers available in SIwave. It is designed to perform PI analysis across the entire power-delivery path—VRM → PCB → Package → Die. Before using it, the user should open the IC Die Network Generation tool from the Tools panel to construct a synthetic die model.
This tool allows the user to create an on-die network composed of:
Series resistance representing the on-die power grid (resistance between bumps)
Bypass capacitance representing on-die decoupling (per bump)
Connection topology, either:
Star pattern: each bump connects to up to 8 neighbors (up-left, up-center, up-right, left, right, down-left, down-center, down-right)
Grid pattern: each bump connects only to the 4 orthogonal neighbors (up, down, left, right)
After clicking Generate, SIwave creates a new RC network model for the selected die. This model is not directly visible to the user, but the PSI solver automatically incorporates it during simulation.
Below is a comparison of PSI solver results before and after generating the die model.
This IC Die Network tool is used when no die model (SCM/DCM from RedHawk) is available, but the designer still wants to account for die-level effects in the PDN analysis. In this blog we will not use this capability, but it is important for the user to be aware that it does exist in SIwave.
Unlike other SIwave workflows, PDN Channel Builder does not require the user to manually create ports before running the simulation. Ports are created automatically. The user simply specifies the source and destination dies, and the solver handles the rest. However, before running the analysis, the pins of every die involved must be grouped appropriately.
Pin groups can be created using Tools → Create/Manage Pin Groups.
To run PDN Channel Builder:
Launch it from the Simulation panel.
Select the die or dies to analyze.
In the VRM panel, enter the VRM component name—or the name of any other die acting as a source. SIwave automatically identifies the correct power net.
Configure the simulation, including the choice of solver (Standard SYZ or PSI). In this example, we select the Standard SYZ solver.
After the run, display the results by choosing the solution and using Plot Magnitude.
The plot below illustrates the output of the Standard SYZ solver, the PSI solver, and the PDN Channel Builder solver. PDN Channel Builder matches the Standard SYZ solver because that is the solver we selected for this run.