The electrical behavior of modern semiconductor devices can only be qualitatively modeled using analytical models. To obtain better descriptions the semiconductor device equations have to be solved numerically on a suitable simulation grid. This course focuses on the basic physical and mathematical issues. Practical experience can be gathered using a real device simulator. Modeling: Boltzmann's equation, moment method, drift-diffusion and energy-transport models. Boundary conditions, contacts, interfaces and heterostructures. Self heating and the heat flow equation, thermal boundary conditions. Band structure, strain effects, modeling of semiconductor alloys, mobility, scattering, channel quantization. Numerical methods: discretization of partial differential equations (finite difference and box-integration method), damping and convergence of Newton's method, linearized small-signal analysis, introduction to the Monte Carlo method. Simulation: equilibrium case and capacitive device properties, linear and non-linear region, breakthrough. Static and dynamic properties, frequency response. Unipolar and bipolar devices, heterostructure devices, sub-circuits, coupling with circuit simulation, coupling with process simulation, simulation environment, Technology-CAD, optimization.
Preliminary discussion: in the first lecture on 13. March 2023
Time: Monday, 9:15-11:00am
Place: CD0520
In order to attend the lecture, a registration in TISS is required.
