Patent attributes
A computer-implemented method for simulation of an integrated circuit for yield analysis includes: a) for plurality of variables, generating initial sampling sets by sampling from provided distributions related to physical properties of circuits; b) selecting at least one sample from each initial set randomly and combining into initial simulation set; c) running initial simulation of operation of circuit, applying initial simulation set, the operation having passing/failing criterion; d) if fails: storing samples of initial set into initial sampling distributions for each variable; e) repeating steps b)-d) until sufficient failures obtained; f) building importance sampling distribution based on each initial sampling distribution, the importance distribution having lower, center, upper portions; g) generating secondary simulation set by drawing samples from importance sampling distribution for each variable; h) simulating circuit by applying the secondary set; i) repeating steps g)-h); j) mapping resulting yields to provided distributions, to obtain a yield.
