Hyperlynx Thermal Features
The failure rates of components are exponentially proportional to the junction temperatures and dependent on the I.C. technology. Therefore, different types of components have different limiting temperatures. Hyperlynx Thermal allows the user to input these limiting temperatures, and provides an output screen to monitor the deviations from the specified limits.
The temperature map predicted by Mentor Graphics reveals the heat conduction phenomena in the board. Since the thermal expansion is proportional to the temperature, the high temperature regions may bulge or warp during operation. This may cause the pins of surface mount devices to detach. Hyperlynx Thermal identifies the hot spots on the board during the design stage.
A color map of temperature gradients across the board is also provided as output. A severe temperature gradient usually induces high thermal stress due to the significant differential in thermal expansion. High thermal stress areas are also locations where board cracking or warping is most likely to occur. Mentor Graphics alerts you to potential trouble spots on your board.