Introduction

Excerpt

As many other technological fields, the fabrication and design of new integrated circuits (ICs) make intensive use of Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) tools. The goal of process modeling is to provide physical understanding and simulation tools to help the development and optimization of device fabrication. Simulation tools are used in the different steps of the fabrication chain from equipment-related issues to fundamental material properties. The information resulting from process modeling (device geometry, dopant distribution, defect concentration, etc.) is then used as input for device simulation to predict the electrical device behavior, which in turn is used for compact circuit simulation and system modeling. Therefore, the accurate modeling of the physical effects of manufacturing steps used to build transistors is key within a successive hierarchical modeling framework for the development of new ICs. The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) provides the guidelines for the development of semiconductor devices in different aspects. A whole chapter devoted to modeling and simulation indicates its relevance in the semiconductor industry. Process modeling and simulation are becoming fundamental to reduce development times and cost of new technologies, allowing a fast and extensive exploration of processes and materials, and providing understanding to experimental data and, thus clues for optimization. …