Robust On-Chip Signaling by Staggered and Twisted Bundle

Existing shield insertion for multiple signal nets can lead to a nonuniformly distributed, capacitive-coupling length and inductive return paths, introducing large delays and delay variation by crosstalk. This article discusses a twisted, staggered interconnect structure that reduces both inductive and capacitive crosstalk. The proposed design reduces delay by 25% and reduces delay variation by 25× compared to designs employing coplanar shields.