Learning Silvaco for Semiconductor Simulation

Explore how to set up Silvaco simulations by meshing the structure, defining regions and materials, configuring electrodes and doping, applying models for mobility, generation, and recombination, and selecting simulation methods.

Explore how statements configure a Silvaco device simulation by defining doping, region, structure, material models, numerical methods, and the four groups in the correct order.

Learn to define a 2d device mesh by outlining a rectangular simulation space with vertical and horizontal lines, and specify their locations and spacings using mesh statements.

Learn how to define regions in Silvaco by assigning material types to mesh regions using region statements, position parameters in microns, and material composition fractions for semiconductors, insulators, and conductors.

Define electrode statements to create semiconductor contacts, specify regions and materials, then assign a name and position (top, bottom, left, right). Multiple electrodes with the same name connect electrically.

Define semiconductor region doping using the doping statement, specifying concentration, distribution type (uniform or Gaussian), and position parameters such as peak location and standard deviation.

Learn how materials split into semiconductors, insulators, and conductors, and how the material statement specifies parameters such as band gap, electron affinity, and mobility for semiconductor simulations, with region-based values.

Explore five model classes in Silvaco: mobility, recombination, carrier statistics, impact ionisation, and tunnelling. Highlight concentration-dependent and field-dependent mobility and their link to concentration and fields.

Learn how semiconductor contacts are categorized, including ohmic and Schottky types, how boundary conditions define contact behavior, and how to assign electrode work functions via contact statements.

Define interface charge density and surface recombination velocity at semiconductor–insulator boundaries using the interface statement. Explore fixed charge density QF, thermionic emission, and region-restricted properties.

Solve Poisson, electron continuity, and hole continuity equations for semiconductor device simulation in Silvaco, using Gummel, Knewton, and gunman methods, including drift-diffusion and heat flow equations.

Simulate key semiconductor devices with Silvaco, from a pn junction diode to bipolar junction transistors and mosfets, and extract current-voltage curves and current gain for nanoscale devices.

Explore the deckbuild environment of Silvaco for semiconductor simulation, including the editor, output, and variables windows, plotting with Tony Plot, and monitoring resource usage.

Simulate a silicon diode with p-type and n-type regions using a bipolar model. Define mesh, regions, electrodes, and dopings; sweep bias from -3 to 3 V and save results.

Extract diode simulation results and view current-voltage curves, identifying the turn-on voltage around 0.7 V. Set axes and display options to explore electric fields and depletion regions.

Learn to simulate a bipolar junction transistor, set up emitter, base, and collector regions with proper doping, run a Newton-based model, and analyze current-voltage curves and the DC current gain.

simulate a mosfet using Silvaco; set up substrate, oxide, dopings; define electrodes; run current-voltage curves under five gate-source voltages; analyze saturation region and output resistance.

Simulate finfet devices with Schrödinger equations to capture quantum effects, using tailored meshing and region definitions, and sweep gate voltage to observe wave functions and current.