A Novel Deembedding Technique Applied to the
S–Parameter Computation of Multichip-Modules via TLM
Wolfgang Dressel, Tobias Mangold, Larissa Vietzorreck and Peter Russer
Institut für Hochfrequenztechnik, Technische Universität München
Arcisstr. 21, D-80333 Munich, Germany, email: dressel@hft.ei.tum.de
Abstract—The TLM-method is used for computing the
scattering parameters of multichip-modules via time do-
main simulation. A novel deembedding method is ap-
plied which allows to reduce the error introduced by non-
ideal port termination.
Index Terms—MCM, numerical modeling, TLM
I. I NTRODUCTION
In this contribution the TLM method is used
for the numerical characterization of multichip
module (MCM) structures. In MCMs several IC
chips are mounted in a silicon or ceramic sub-
strate. As a group of highly functional electronic
devices MCMs reduce cost and size providing op-
portunities to integrate unique functions of chips
from various processing technologies into one sys-
tem [1], [2], [3]. MCMs exhibit general three-
dimensional geometry. For the modeling of MCM
and
structures therefore a field solver is required which
imposes no restrictions on the geometry of the
electromagnetic structures. Considering this re-
scattering parameters after Fourier transformation.
The main advantage of simulation under matched
conditions is that the decay of the scattered pulses
is considerably faster than in the case of open–
circuit or short–circuit termination. This may re-
duce the computation time considerably. How-
ever, this method suffers from the difficulty of a
correct modeling of the termination. In this work
we therefore propose a new deembedding method
which allows direct time domain computation of
the scattering parameters without exact termina-
tion of the multiport under consideration.
II. TLM S IMULATION AND D EEMBEDDING
The S-parameters are calculated from the com-



puted generalized port currents or voltages respec-
tively. We obtain for example from the inci-
dent generalized voltage wave amplitude 


the resulting generalized input port voltage  via





   
quirement the TLM method is well suited for mod-
eling of MCM structures including losses in the di-
electrics as well as in the conductors. In modelling
an MCM structure the task usually is to com-
pute its multiport parameters in a wide frequency
range. The TLM method already has been applied
to multichip modules and to extract lumped ele-
ment equivalent circuits of MCM structures [4].
The frequency characteristics is obtained from the
time domain simulation of the MCM multiport
structures by Fourier or Laplace transform [4] or
by parameter estimation methods [5]. Full–wave
simulation of the multiport characteristics may be
done under open circuit conditions, short circuit
conditions and matched conditions. Computa-
tion under matched conditions directly yields the
(1)

The application of this formula, however is not
a trivial task. The generalized voltages are spec-
ified via a path integral or an area integral over
the transverse electric field component. Since the
modes are non–TEM and furthermore the trans-
verse field distribution also is frequency depen-
dent, an exact modelling of a matched waveguide
termination will not be feasible.
In the following we therefore propose a deem-
bedding procedure which can be applied in case
of modelling the scattering behaviour of the mul-
tiport without matching the ports. Let us consider
a multiport with the scattering matrix  . The vec-
tor of the incident waves  and the vector of the
scattered waves are related via plane of the calculated currents and voltages
 1 2
 

10

10
(2)

If we want to characterize a multiport with
ports 85/17 nodes

we have to perform
simulations and to compute
measurement plane measurement plane 220/22 nodes
the scattering from the input ports to the output 190/19 nodes 500/100 nodes 190/19 nodes
ports. Usually we will excite only one port at each
simulation, and each time we will excite another Fig. 1. Interdigital capacitor with dimensions (in 0 m) and
port. However, due to non-perfect termination of number of nodes

all ports each time all ports will be excited by in-
cident waves. Let  ,  , ...  be the vectors
The simulation was performed using 5 / m as
describing the excitation
in the first, second and
smallest mesh size and 10 / m as biggest. The sim-

  simulation, and let ,  , ...  denominate
ulation box has got a size of 880 / m
305 / m

the vectors summarizing the scattered waves. We

335 / m, whereas 240 / m from the 335 / m rep-
then may introduce the


matrices
resent the free space above the structure. A mag-
 
  
    (3) netic wall can be used to half the simulation box.
  
    So computation resources and time can be saved.
  (4)
The path integrals for the voltages and currents are
A number of
simulations is carried out, where in the same cross-section defined as the measure-
in the  –th simulation, ( i = 1 . . . N) a primary pulse ment plane at every port of the interdigital capaci-
wave  is applied to the  –th port. The ports tor. With this cell sizes the computation time took
5 hours on a HP-C360 workstation with 500MB

 
of the multiport are terminated with the reflection
memory. The time includes the two device sim-
factors     . The waves flowing into the
multiport are given by ulations needed for all wave amplitudes, and the
reference simulation needed for the characteristic
 "!$#&%  
(5) impedance of the microstrip-lines.




% (' 
+  -

. Fig. 4 till Fig. 2 show the S-parameters , 
with *)    , . If exists, the and 1 derived by the conventional method ac-
scattering matrix of the multiport can be obtained cording to (1), the dembedding method after (6)
from
  -
and the measurement.
 (6) In order to proof the deembedding technique,
 one simulation was computed with non-ideal
For this evaluation both, and have to be eval-
uated. This procedure yields a deembedding of
non–perfectly terminated multiports.

III. E XAMPLE
In this section, S-Parameters calculated by the
conventional method according to (1) and the
dembedding method after (6) are shown for a in-
terdigital capacitor mapped in fig. 1. The inter-
digital capacitor has got a size of 880 / m
250
/ m and is manufactured by a thin film method on
a ceramic substrate. The computed scattering pa-
rameter results have been compared with measure-
ments made by a HP-8510C network analyzer and Fig. 2. Simulated and measured 24353 of the interdigital ca-
a Cascade on-wafer prober. pacitor
 ary models.

IV. C ONCLUSION
In this work a deembedding technique was
applied to the S-parameter computation of
multichip-modules using TLM. In contrast to the
conventional technique, where the scattering pa-
rameters are obtained directly by the outgoing
waves, assuming no reflections at the boundaries,
the described approach also considers reflections
at the non-perfect port terminals. By exciting the
Fig. 3. Simulated and measured 2 3 of the interdigital ca- multiport in different simulations at each port, a
pacitor
system of incident and reflected wave amplitudes
is established, which has to be solved. As an ex-
ample, the technique was applied to a interdig-
ital capacitor frequently used in MCM connect-
ing structures. Scattering parameters of the balun
were computed by using both techniques and com-
pared with measurements. With the deembedding
method an improvement of the calculated results
and a better agreement with the measurement is
obtained.

Fig. 4. Simulated and measured 2
of the interdigital ca-
pacitor
boundary conditions equal a mismatch of 0.3 at the
ports. The according curves calculated by the con-
ventional method from this simulation are labeled
with ib=0.3. The S-parameters derived by the
dembedding method are marked with ib=0.3 cor-
rected. The two curves can be compared with the
measurement and the simulation with ideal bound-
ary conditions (labeld with ib=0.3) as reference.
It can be seen that a good improvement can
be obtained if the deembedding technique is ap-
plied to simulations with nonideal boundary con-
ditions. The deviation between the calculated S-
parameters of the simulation with nonideal bound-
ary conditions corrected and ideal boundary con-
ditions calculated normaly is most about 0.5 dB.


an improvment of
So
about 2.5 dB is obtained for
and 1 . For  the improvment is about 5 dB
at higher frequencies. Furthermore if the results of
the two calculation techniques are compared, this
technique can be used for a verification of bound-
R EFERENCES
[1] P. Russer, “Emerging Technologies in Microwaves, Micro-
electronics and Hybrid Integration, Microtec 2000 Confer-
ence Digest, Hannover, September 2000.
[2] T. Mangold, P. Gulde, G. Neumann and P. Russer, “A Mul-
tichip Module Integration Technology on Silicon Substrate
for High Frequency Applications, Proc. of topical meeting
on ’Silicon Monolithic Integrated Circuits in RF Systems,Ann
Arbor, Michigan,181-184,17.-18 September 1998
[3] T. Mangold, J. Wolf, M. Töpper, H. Reichl and P. Russer,
A Multichip Module Integration Technology for High-Speed
Analog and Digital Applications, Proc. ISSSE ,Pisa(Italy),
91-96, September 1998.
[4] T. Mangold and P. Russer, “Full-Wave Modelling and Auto-
matic Equivalent-Circuit Generation of Millimeter-Wave Pla-
nar and Multilayer Structures”, IEEE Trans. on Microwave
Theory and Techniques, 47, (6), pp. 851-858, June 1999.
[5] V. Chtchekatourov, W. Fisch, P. Russer “Model–based Param-
eter Estimation for Equivalent Circuit Generation with Trans-
mission Line Matrix (TLM) Method, to be published