No abstract

SUMMARYIn order to accomplish two-dimensional device simulation with a large number of nodes, in this paper we propose the device-partition method (DPM) to resolve the problem that the memory size of the simulation environment is insufficient. The idea of DPM is that the device can be divided into several parts and a matrix solver only solves one part at a time. DPM uses the iteration method to simulate the device. By continuous iteration, an accurate solution can be obtained. Hence, we use DPM to demonstrate the simulations of the MOSFET and the CMOS inverter. The simulation results of DPM and the coupled method (CM) are nearly approximate and correspond with the theory. Hence, DPM is a suitable method to develop a powerful simulation environment.

SUMMARYIn this paper, we study the decoupled method which requires less memory on semiconductor device simulation. The decoupled method decouples the three equivalent circuits of semiconductor and solves them sequentially. The three equivalent circuits are formed by formulating the three partial differential equations that describe the electrical behaviour of semiconductor. Since the decoupled method solves one equation in each stage, the decoupled method uses one-ninth memory space of the coupled method. When decoupling the three equivalent circuits, the decoupled method yields a boundary condition limitation. In order to overcome the limitation, we propose a compromising partial decoupled method which has complete boundary condition and requires four-ninth memory space of the coupled method. The three methods are compared for computational efficiency and accuracy in the simulation of BJT. The simulation results are identical.

In this paper, we study on a 1D BJT model, which saves the memory size and computation time and verify that the characteristic of 1D BJT model is in good agreement with 2D BJT model. We use the equivalent circuit approach to simulate the BJT device. Poisson's equation and continuity equations for electron and hole are formulated into a subcircuit format suitable for general circuit simulator in the equivalent circuit approach. In order to solve the 2D device simulation, the simulation environment needs a powerful solver. So we use the band matrix solver to replace the full matrix solver. But the 2D BJT simulation still needs a large computation time, so we must develop the efficient 1D BJT model. In 1D BJT simulation, we have overcome the base boundary condition and verified that the base boundary conditions in 1D BJT model closely approach to that in 2D BJT model. Finally, we apply it to two applications and study the operation concepts of these applications. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.