Agilent EEsof EDA

Eye Diagram Measurements in Advanced Design

System

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Eye Diagram Measurements in

Advanced Design System

Page 1

Group/Presentation Title
Agilent Restricted
Month ##, 200X

Agenda
Why an Eye Diagram ?
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS.
Frequency Domain Analysis of an Interconnect.
Optimization of an Equalizer Performance.

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 2

Why create an Eye Diagram?

Difficult to Characterize a Waveform

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 3

Interconnect/Transmitter- Good or Bad?

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 4

Eye Diagram Functions In ADS

Two eye diagram functions in ADS
eye(node_name, data_rate, number_of_cycles, delay)
FrontPanel_eye( node_name, data_rate, number_of_cycles, delay)

Difference between two eye functions

Unit Interval

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 5

Characterizing an Eye Diagram

Eye diagram parameters
Eye level 1 & level 0
Eye rise/ fall time
Eye opening
Eye width
50 psec
delay

Eye height
Eye amplitude
Eye signal to noise ratio
Peak to peak & RMS jitter

FrontPanel_eye( node_name, data_rate, number_of_cycles, delay)

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 6

Eye Binning Function

321 Rows

Eqn = eye_binning( eye_plot,num_x_bins,num_y_bins)

451 Columns

Number of Traces

Inner Independent
Outer Independent

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 7

Histogram Plots
Majority of Eye calculations are based on histogram plots

Two types of histograms

Horizontal histogram - For every time point,
sum up the number of traces across vertical
bins
FrontPanel_eye_horizontal_histogram()
Vertical histogram For every amplitude
point, sum up the number of points across time
axis
FrontPanel_eye_vertical_histogram_index()

Statistical calculation
Mean value, Standard Deviation ( 1 ), and
Three Standard Deviation ( 3 )
Frontpanel_get_histogram_mean_stddev ()

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 8

Calculate Eye Delay

Eqn=FrontPanel_eye_delay(Waveform_Data,Default_DataRate,Data_Type)

Function calculates the time delay required to position eye crossing at

the center of the UI (Only applicable to NRZ type data)
Creates Eye Diagram
Convert Eye data to bin data
Determine Max and Min amplitude
Create horizontal histogram in a narrow strip
Find Mean value of horizontal histogram
Compare Mean position as compared with UI/2
Calculated Delay

Delay calculation is required for automated eye parameter measurements.

Binning the eye diagram makes this calculation easy.

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 9

Eye Crossing Measurements

Create horizontal
histogram across a
narrow central strip
The mean value
provides eye crossing
time
Create vertical
histogram @ mean
crossing time points
The mean value will
provide eye crossing
amplitude

Mean Value of Horizontal Histogram

Give Eye Crossing Time Value
Mean Value (Eye Crossing Amplitude Point)

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 10

Measurements of Eye Level One/Zero

Determine Eye
Crossing points ( t1, t2)

Level one
Upper half

Determine
(40-60% ) Eye
Boundaries
Calculate vertical
histograms in upper half
region

Measurement boundaries

0% 40% 60% 100%

Calculate Level One

Mean & Standard
Deviation

Lower half
Level zero

Calculate vertical
histograms in lower half
region
Calculate Level Zero
Mean & Standard
Deviation

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 11

Measurements of Eye Amplitude, Height, and S/N

40-60% Region

Eye Height

Eye Amplitude

One level
histogram
mean

Zero level
histogram
mean

Upper half

3
3
1

Lower half

Eye Amplitude = Level One Level Zero

Eye Height = (Eye level one- 3)- (Eye level zero+3)
Eye S/N= (Eye level one-Eye level zero)
1 level one+1 level zero
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 12

Measurement of Eye Width

Calculate Eye Crossing
points
Calculate Horizontal
Histograms around Eye
Crossing Amplitude

Calculate Mean value

and Standard Deviation

t2

t1

Eye Width

Calculate Eye Width

Eye width = (Eye crossing@t2- 3)- (Eye crossing@t1+3)

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 13

Calculating Rise Time

Plot single Eye Diagram
with delay
Determine Level One
and Level Zero
Get the Rising Edges
which qualifies for
all three thresholds
Calculate Horizontal
Histogram for Qualified
Edge @ all three
threshold values
Calculate Mean value
for all three histograms
Rise time is the
difference between the
Mean value of
Histograms @ low and
high threshold

Horizontal histogram
plot for 20% threshold

Horizontal histogram
plot for 50% threshold

Horizontal histogram
plot for 80% threshold

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 14

Jitter Histogram

Jitter (p-p)

Jitter Histogram - Horizontal histogram across Eye Crossing point.

Standard Deviations - Represents RMS Jitter ( If only Random Jitter is present)
Peak to Peak Jitter is the histogram width

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 15

Eye Diagram FrontPanel

Automated measurements using Eye Diagram FrontPanel

In addition to eye diagram measurements, it performs many waveform

parameter measurements
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 16

Compare Eye FP to DCA on same waveform

ADS Eye Diagram FrontPanel

1G Data Rate through 20 trace

Eye Diagram FrontPanel on the DCA output file.

DCA Measurement

FrontPanel

DCA typ

DCA min/max

Level 1

212mV

211.3mV

211.3/213.5

Level 0

-177.4mV

-177.5mV

-177.5/-178.5

Rise Time

219pS

222pS

219/226

Fall Time

212pS

215pS

211/219

Eye Amp

389.4mV

389mV

386.3/389.4

Eye Height

274.7mV

274.7mV

273.9/274.9

Eye S/N

10.18

10.07

10.01/10.23

Jitter p-p

22.2pS

22.2pS

22.2/22.2

Jitter rms

5.8pS

5.7pS

5.7/5.8

[NOTE: FrontPanel data is from a single trace.

DCA measurements are averaged with 16
measurements.]
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 17

Case Study
Design an equalizer to improve eye diagram performance
Frequency domain simulator to predict channel performance
Simulation of a channel with equalizer
Optimization of an equalizer for eye performance

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 18

Channel Simulation
Various interconnect
models

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 19

Time Domain Simulation (Convolution)

S-Parameter representation
of the channel

For this example, channel is just a

passive interconnect.
Can one use frequency domain
simulators?
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 20

Why use Frequency Domain Simulators?

No exclusive time domain components (IBIS model)
Fast simulation
Accurately accounts for all the frequency domain effects
Availability of frequency domain bit sequence source
No convergence issue
Voltage at any node can be converted to time domain
Eye diagram measurements can be accomplished
Extremely fast and accurate simulation

Requirement: S-parameter/models should have sufficient bandwidth to

satisfy the time sampling requirement
Limitation: Cannot be used with IBIS models
(Rise and fall tables are defined as the timing waveforms )

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 21

AC Simulation of Channel Model

What we are trying to accomplish?

Frequency domain simulation Time domain characterization

AC simulation setup

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 22

Comparing Time and Frequency Domain

Simulation Results
Time Domain Simulation
Frequency Domain Simulation

Comparison shows good

correlation.

Calculate eye parameters?

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 23

Characterizing Eye Diagram using

ADS FrontPanel

Eye diagram
measurements

Can one measure eye parameters during simulation?

What are the advantages?
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 24

Eye Diagram Measurements during Simulation

Eye diagram measurement equations defined

on the schematic page.
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 25

What we are achieving?

Frequency domain simulation Time Domain Characterization
Running AC simulation
Plotting time domain waveform
Plotting eye diagram measurements

Advantage
Fast and accurate channel simulation
No convergence issues
Measure eye diagram performance

Download example project from ADS knowledge website.

Provides simulation setup and measurement equations.
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 26

Eye Diagram Measurements

Is Eye Performance Acceptable?

How to improve eye diagram performance?
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 27

Why Equalization?
As data rate increases, the frequency response and attenuation
characteristics of PCB traces degrade signals
Enables channel to operate at higher data rates
faster, better, cheaper

How to negate channel

effects?
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 28

Consider Passive Equalizer Design

A high pass filter

How to determine equalizer parameters?

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 29

Comparing Simulation Results

Without Equalizer

With Equalizer

Eye height and Jitterp-p is improved.

Can equalizer design be further improved?
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 30

Optimize Equalizer Design for Eye Opening

The goal is to optimize equalizer design to
maximize Eye Opening

Parameter to be
optimized

Goal: Improve Eye Opening Factor from 0.59 to 0.9

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 31

Eye Parameter Measurements and Optimization

Frequency Domain
Simulation
Optimizing Eye
Opening Factor

Eye Measurements

Change in the reactive element value will change the flight time.
Will the optimization goals works with varying flight time?
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 32

Advantages
Frequency domain simulation Time domain characterization
Time domain optimization
Works well even if the flight time delay is changed due to change
in the reactive element value.
Automatically calculates delay required for eye positioning
Automatically detects eye crossing point and 40-60% region
Optimize eye diagram performance
Any eye diagram parameter such as eye opening factor, eye height,
peak to peak jitter, rise time can be used as an optimization goal.
Unique and extremely powerful
Essential for state of the art serial link design
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 33

Optimizing Eye Diagram Parameters

Limitation: One cannot send Eye Diagram Measurements to data
display during optimization
Deactivate output Node Voltage and Measurement Equations while
performing optimization ( Defined in Simulator Controller)

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 34

Optimized Value of Equalizer Components

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 35

Comparing Simulation Result

ADS Eye Diagram plots

Eye Diagram without equalizer

Eye Diagram with optimized equalizer

Improvement in Jitter

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 36

ADS Waveform in DCA without Equalization

ADS simulated waveform was
sent to DCA for post processing

ADS Eye Diagram

DCA Eye Diagram display showing ADS
simulated waveform
Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS
Page 37

ADS Waveform in DCA with Equalization

DCA Eye Diagram display showing ADS
simulated waveform
ADS Eye Diagram

Eye Jitterp-p

15.7 ps

Eye Signal to Noise

Eye Rise Time

4.75
33 psec

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 38

Comparing Simulation Results

Channel+ Equalizer before Optimization

Channel+ Equalizer after Optimization

Optimizer type
Random optimizer
Number of iterations 40
Optimization time
15 Minutes

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 39

Conclusion
ADS has been used for SI design for over 20 years
ADS has a multitude of accurate built in models
ADS allows you to build accurate physical models
ADS brings IP, simulation and measurement together
Reviewed Eye Diagram measurement algorithms in ADS
ADS allows you to predict time domain performance using frequency
domain simulators
Allows you to characterize and optimize Eye Diagram Performance
You can optimize eye diagram performance not only using the AC simulator,
but ADS also allows you to optimize interconnects for eye diagram
performance using numeric, time and other frequency domain simulators.

Eye Diagram Measurements in ADS

Page 40

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Revised: March 27, 2008

Product specications and descriptions

in this document subject to change
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Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2008
Printed in USA, May 26, 2006
5989-9453EN