학술논문

Policy-Based Reinforcement Learning for Through Silicon Via Array Design in High-Bandwidth Memory Considering Signal Integrity
Document Type
Periodical
Source
IEEE Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility IEEE Trans. Electromagn. Compat. Electromagnetic Compatibility, IEEE Transactions on. 66(1):256-269 Feb, 2024
Subject
Fields, Waves and Electromagnetics
Engineered Materials, Dielectrics and Plasmas
Through-silicon vias
Silicon
Optimization
Mathematical models
Bandwidth
Integrated circuit modeling
Inductance
Deep reinforcement learning (DRL)
high-bandwidth memory (HBM)
proximal policy optimization (PPO)
signal integrity (SI)
through silicon via (TSV)
Language
ISSN
0018-9375
1558-187X
Abstract
In this article, a policy-based reinforcement learning (RL) method for optimizing through silicon via (TSV) array design in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) considering signal integrity is proposed. The proposed method can provide an optimal TSV-array signal/ground pattern design to maximize the eye opening (EO), which determines the bandwidth of the high-speed TSV channel. The proposed method adopts the proximal policy optimization algorithm, which directly trains the optimal policy, providing efficient handling of large action spaces rather than value-based RL. The convolutional neural network is used as a feature extractor to extract the location information of the TSV-array. To overcome the computational cost of the reward estimation, a fast EO estimation method is developed based on the equivalent circuit modeling and peak distortion analysis. The proposed method is applied to optimize 1-byte of TSV-array in a 16-high HBM and showed an 18.2% increase in EO compared with the initial design. The optimality performance of the proposed method is compared with deep q-network and random search algorithm, and the proposed method shows 3.4% and 9.6% better optimality, respectively.