In this paper, we present and verify a new chip-package co-modeling and simulation approach for a low-noise chip-package hierarchical power distribution network (PDN) design. It is based on a hierarchical modeling to combine distributed circuit models at both chip-level PDN and package-level PDN. In particular, it includes all on- and off-chip parasitic circuit elements in the hierarchical PDN with a special consideration on on-chip decoupling capacitor design and placement inside chip. The proposed hierarchical PDN model was successfully validated with good correlations and subsequent analysis to a series of Z11 and Z21 PDN impedance measurements with a frequency range from 1 MHz to 3 GHz. Using the proposed model, we can analyze and estimate the performance of the chip-package hierarchical PDN as well as can predict the effect of high frequency electromagnetic interactions between the chip-level PDN and the package-level PDN. Furthermore, we can precisely anticipate PDN resonance frequencies, noise generation sources, and noise propagation paths through the multiple levels in the hierarchical PDN.

The effect of the power/ground plane on the through-hole signal via is analyzed in a viewpoint of a band-stop filter. When the through-hole signal via passes through the power/ground plane, the return current path discontinuity of the through-hole signal via occurs due to the high impedance of the power/ground plane. Since the high impedance is produced by the power/ground plane resonance, it acts as a band-stop filter, which is connected to the signal trace in series. Therefore, the power/ground plane filters off its resonance frequency component by absorbing and reflecting from the signal on the through-hole signal via, and consequently the signal distortion, the power/ground plane noise voltage, and the consequent radiated emission occur. With S-parameter and TDR-TDT measurements, the band-stop effect of the power/ground plane on the through-hole signal via is confirmed. And then, this analysis is applied to the clock transmission through the through-hole signal via to obtain the clearer confirmation. The measurements of the distorted clock waveforms, the induced power/ground plane noise voltages, and the radiated emissions depending on the power/ground plane impedance around the through-hole signal via are shown.