There are three major questions to be answered by TCAD regarding electromigration reliability issues. First, interconnect layout designers need to know, how long a drafted interconnect structure will work properly, e.g. for the given operating conditions, how long does it take for complete electromigration failure to happen. The second question of interest is, how does the interconnect resistance change due to electromigration damage. And, the third interesting question is how does the local picture of all electromigration promoting factors looks like in the case when electromigration damage takes place.
The thorough knowledge of the physical phenomena behind the electromigration failure and the capability to model and simulate these phenomena is the only way to accomplish interconnect layouts which optimally meet technology requirements and at the same time avoid far to restrictive design rules.
In the following sections we will present application of the introduced physical models and numerical concepts, realized in the simulation tools, on the different aspects of the electromigration reliability problem.