The COMSON Project

Abstract

This chapter serves as an introduction into the outcome of the COMSON project, and links the subsequent chapters to the overall idea of COMSON and its objectives. We start with a discussion of the state-of-the-art and open problems in nanoelectronics simulation at the timepoint when the COMSON Project was started. Therefrom the main scientific objectives of the COMSON project are derived. Special attention is devoted to a uniform methodology for both testing the new achievements and simultaneously educating young researchers: All mathematical codes are linked into a new Demonstrator Platform (Chap. 8), which itself is embedded into an E-Learning environment (Chap. 9). Subsequently the scientific objectives are shortly reviewed. They comprise: (i) Development of new coupled mathematical models, capturing the mutual interactions between the physical domains of interest in nanoelectronis. These are based on the PDAE approach (Chap. 2). (ii) Investigation of numerical methods to simulate these models. Our focus is on dynamic iteration schemes (Chap. 3) and for efficiency on MOR techniques (Chaps. 4-6). (iii) Usage of models and simulation tools for optimal design of nanoelectronic circuits by means of multi-objective optimisation in a compound design space (Chap. 7). Trends in MicroelectronicsThe design of complex integrated circuits ICs requires adequate simulation and optimisation tools. The current design approach involves simulations and optimisations in different physical domains (device, circuit, thermal, electromagnetic) as well as in electrical engineering disciplines (logic, timing, power, crosstalk, signal M. Günther ( ) Chair