Which phenomenon limits clock speed increases in integrated circuits primarily due to interconnect capacitance?

💡 Explanation

When interconnect capacitance increases within an integrated circuit, the RC time constant increases because it impacts how quickly signals can charge and discharge capacitances, leading especially long paths to introduce Signal propagation delay and limit switching speed. Therefore signal propagation delay is the limit, instead of EMI, because those require higher frequencies, Joule heating which needs high sustained currents, or gate thresholds, which are material properties.

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