Experimental Determination of the Importance of Inductance in Sub-Micron Microstrip Lines

R. J. Friar and D. P. Neikirk

Microelectronics Research Center and Electrical Engineering Research Laboratory

University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712

R. J. Friar and D. P. Neikirk, "Experimental Determination of the Importance of Inductance in Sub-Micron Microstrip Lines," IEEE 1999 International Interconnect Technology Conference, San Francisco, May 24-26, 1999, pp. 176-177.

Abstract

The importance of inductance in sub-micron cross-section lines is examined. We experimentally show that small cross-section, high-loss lines are RC dominated into the low GHz frequency range, and only begin to exhibit inductive effects above 10 GHz. We also show by comparing experimental data and a simple model that skin effect and substrate effects are small, if present, in these lines up to 40 GHz.