A comparison of CAD tools for the study of nanoelectronic devices, circuits and systems

This paper overviews diverse CAD tools for the study of nanoelectronics in both research and education, putting emphasis on circuits made up of carbon-based field-effect transistors, namely carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene. Some tools available in nanoHUB.org are outlined and compared with other traditional/conventional methods which are based on reported models for the simulation of CNT/G-FET devices and circuits in Verilog-A, SPICE-like simulators and MATLAB. Their main features are analyzed from a circuit designer viewpoint, in terms of main performance and characterisation metrics for their use in the analysis, modeling and design of integrated devices, circuits and systems. The knowledge derived from this research is applied to improve the teaching and learning experience of students enrolled in diverse courses dealing with nanoelectronics and materials engineering degrees, through the incorporation of virtual labs and projects based on the use of the tools outlined in this study.