A manufacturing-oriented environment for synthesis of fabrication processes

The process design aid (PDA), a design environment which bridges the gap between design and specification of semiconductor fabrication processes, is presented. The PDA uses a hierarchical process model supporting reuse of well-characterized process fragments; integrates design goals with process and simulation data in a single knowledge base; and provides direct support for the numerical optimization of process parameters and simulator calibration parameters. Details of a hierarchical, object-oriented process representation are discussed. Results of modeling a 0.8- mu m BiCMOS process with the PDA are presented, demonstrating automatic generation of consistent simulation and manufacturing specifications, efficient incremental simulation, and fast, interactive, closed-loop optimization of process parameters.<>