Metal Jumper and Antenna DIODE are two methods to resolve Antenna violations. But Metal Jumper is preferred approach as it does not need change to the Netlist and placement. This methodology works for antenna violations on all metal layers except for the top most layer. In this methodology, we will switch the SMALL portion of routing to higher level metal close to the location of failing gate. This will make sure that accumulated charges on metal layer does not affect the gate as gate will not be connected to the charge carrying metal route until higher level metal is manufactured.

For example, lets say antenna violation is in M2. This means that M2 has enough area to accumulate large charge that induces high electron voltage to destroy the gate. To solve this problem, we cut a portion of M2 close to failing gate and move the routing to M3. This makes sure that when M2 is being manufactured, it does not get connected to gate. Connection happens only when M3 gets manufactured which is much later in time. By then charges on Metal M2 WOULD have leaked away.

When metal jumper is not possible to implement (probably due to routing congestion or violation happening in top most layer) we try to fix it by inserting antenna diode closed to gate failing antenna. Antenna diode provide electrical path for safe CONDUCTION of accumulated charges to the substrate. Antenna diode is a reversed biased diode but acts like RESISTOR during manufactured process (CMP) due to high temperature environment.

Metal Jumper and Antenna diode are two methods to resolve Antenna violations. But Metal Jumper is preferred approach as it does not need change to the Netlist and placement. This methodology works for antenna violations on all metal layers except for the top most layer. In this methodology, we will switch the small portion of routing to higher level metal close to the location of failing gate. This will make sure that accumulated charges on metal layer does not affect the gate as gate will not be connected to the charge carrying metal route until higher level metal is manufactured.

For example, lets say antenna violation is in M2. This means that M2 has enough area to accumulate large charge that induces high electron voltage to destroy the gate. To solve this problem, we cut a portion of M2 close to failing gate and move the routing to M3. This makes sure that when M2 is being manufactured, it does not get connected to gate. Connection happens only when M3 gets manufactured which is much later in time. By then charges on Metal M2 would have leaked away.

When metal jumper is not possible to implement (probably due to routing congestion or violation happening in top most layer) we try to fix it by inserting antenna diode closed to gate failing antenna. Antenna diode provide electrical path for safe conduction of accumulated charges to the substrate. Antenna diode is a reversed biased diode but acts like resistor during manufactured process (CMP) due to high temperature environment.