The IC Processes of the Future Advances in Device Structures and Device Simulation Techniques

The state of the art of Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) frameworks for the development of new device structures and their fabrication processes is discussed. A framework must contain support for both integration of existing simulation programs and development of new tools. The complexity and scope of a rigorous TCAD framework requires special effort to create a system which is comprehensible for both users and programmers. The implementation of the task level and user interface of the Viennese Integrated System for Technology CAD Applications (VISTA) is presented, and some important aspects of the integration of independently developed tools are discussed. Particular examples highlight the capabilities of present tools. A 0.25μm fully-planarized CMOS process with shallow trench isolation is studied. The interaction of fairly heterogeneous tools within one common environment becomes thereby transparent. As a second example, the feasibility and the limitations of ultra-low-power CMOS technologies are investigated by simulation. A set of possible ultra-low-power CMOS processes is developed and analyzed for their performance on the gate level. To demonstrate capabilities of new device structures and materials, an analysis of a High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) is presented.