Reliable and accurate characterization of frequency dependent electrical material properites

In today's high speed digital circuit design, some high data rate signal paths require interconnect simulations up to 100 GHz. One of the major challenges for these simulations is generating reliable and accurate frequency dependent material models for dielectric constant (dk) and loss tangent (df). This paper will present a metrology for measurement of typical interconnect materials using cavity resonators including a method to capture all measurement variations. Once a precise metrology is established, the paper will then use the collected data to provide additional insight into popular modeling methods used to extrapolate data beyond measurement frequency. For the type of materials measured, specific recommendations will be made on the modeling parameters to have the most accurate high-frequency models for typical package substrate materials.