Practical Integration of Process, Device, and Circuit Simulation

Readily available process, device, and circuit simulation programs have been integrated into an effective system for enhancing semiconductor product development. In this paper, the system will be discussed with particular emphasis on the problems encountered in making simulation tools accessible to users. Each of the primary programs is reviewed, and the modifications and enhancements which have been made to adapt the programs to our requirements are discussed. The problem of interpolating impurity concentration profiles between process simulation grids and device simulation grids is discussed. The link between device simulation and circuit simulation is parameter extraction. The application of optimization techniques for parameter extraction is considered.