[SI-LIST] SI Simulation of GHz signals

Hello
I would like to perform reliable simulation of GHz signals (up to 
3.125GHz), specifically Xilinx RocketIO. I would like to include in the 
simulation the effects of the following:
Driver->PCB trace (incl. vias)->connector->cable->connector->PCB 
trace(incl. vias)->Receiver

The models that I have obtained from the various vendors are HSPICE 
models. I have evaluated two of the most recommended S.I. toolchains: 
Mentor G. HyperLynx and Cadence Spectraquest. Both tools use HSPICE as 
the simulation engine, and essentially act as a front-end gui to HSPICE, 
as well as extracting the PCB trace/via models. My experiences thusfar 
with both tools have not been good. Anything but the most simplistic of 
traces causes the tools to either crash or take rediculous time to 
process (of the order of hours for even a simple net). A further issue 
is that both of these tool vendors claim that the HSPICE simulator is 
not necessary, and that the simulation can be performed without it, but 
practically this is not the case, due to a lack of availability of 
reliable models in anything other than HSPICE format. The conversion 
from HSPICE to any of the custom modelling types is also, in my opinion, 
non-trivial and potentially an extremely tedious manual process.

I believe that S-Parameter based simulation provides much faster 
simulation, but again there is a lack of availability of S-Parameter models.

Can anyone recommend a method for simulating the above signals that is 
simple, robust and reliable, or is the simulation of such signals still 
premature? Coming from a HW design background, I am fairly new to S.I., 
but it seems surprising that  there is no industry-standard modelling 
type (equivalent of IBIS) that cable/connector vendors will provide, but 
maybe this level of simulation is in its infancy, and S-Parameter models 
will emerge as the standard?

Is the simulation of such signals entirely necessary? I am dubious about 
the reliability of the results of such simulations, and I am wondering 
whether it is not more practical to just take all the precautions 
possible and hope for the best!

Please let me know if you have any advise, or a good solution to my dilemma!

Kind regards,
Clifford



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