Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
The author has granted to CMC Microsystems in perpetuity, permission to distribute this application note.
Scope
This application note describes the use of the Sentaurus software by presenting a simple and
practical application: modeling and simulating a Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) p-n junction. This
application note is not an in-depth user guide to the software. Instead, it is a simple tutorial for
understanding how the software models and simulates a semiconductor device and how to launch
and run the software. After reviewing this application note, you should consult the user guides
for each tool within the Sentaurus framework for more details.
Background
Sentaurus is a software environment capable of simulating the electrical, thermal, and optical
behaviour of semiconductor devices. The software is produced by Synopsys, Inc.
(www.synopsys.com).
The modeling and simulation of integrated circuit (IC) devices is an integral phase of research
and development (R&D) that minimizes fabrication and processing stages, while testing the
state-of-the-art theoretical understanding of the operation and behaviour of such devices. Once a
conceptual model has been developed and tested through experimental verification, the device
performance can be studied and optimized, thereby advancing the technology to new levels.
Developing the conceptual model representative of the device is of utmost importance, where
models within the scientific literature must be carefully selected to describe the behaviour of the
device. Sentaurus, with its large material parameter database, has several parameter and physical
models to choose from for the most important semiconductor materials. Simulations (one-, two-,
or three-dimensional) typically utilize several Sentaurus tools that communicate via input/output
files. All of the important simulated properties, such as current–voltage characteristics, carrier
lifetimes, electric fields, etc, can be plotted using the Inspect and Tecplot tools.
This application note focuses on the modeling and simulation of a GaAs/GaAs p-n junction, as
illustrated in Figure 1.
4 µm
Cathode
Description of Application
This tutorial on modeling and simulating a simple GaAs p-n junction is subdivided into five
sections:
1. List of items that are required.
2. Instructions on how to launch Sentaurus, load the p-n junction tutorial file, and run the
project.
3. Description of the Sentaurus simulation tools and how they fit in the simulation tool flow.
4. Procedure for adding and modifying Sentaurus variables.
5. Description of errors and debugging log files.
Requirements
Synopsys Sentaurus version 2008.09 installed on an application server at your location.
Valid license key supplied by CMC.
Linux computer with network access to the server hosting the Synopsys software.
Project file entitled pn-junction-tutorial.tgz.
Note: The project file includes the project manual and Sentaurus tool guides.
export LM_LICENSE_FILE=nnnnnn
Note: This assignment can be defined in your .bashrc file in the home directory.
Note: So that you do not need to browse to the directory each time you run the software, define
an alias in your .bashrc file to automatically point to the directory.
2. In the pop-up dialog box requesting the STDB, enter the location of your Sentaurus project
directory (for example, /home/Sentaurus/Projects/).
Note: To avoid this prompt in the future, define the variable STDB in your .bashrc file. As
indicated in Figure 2, the author‟s directory is /.automount/csie/h/users/awalk102/STDB/.
Sentaurus
Workbench STDB
directory
To unlock, refer to step 5a
(CTRL+K)
3. To refresh the directory listing, right-click on the STDB to see the newly added pn-junction-
tutorial project folder.
Note: In the Nodes drop-down list, it is usually sufficient to select either remaining or all.
Status:
running
Status:
queued
Node status
legend
e. Once Sentaurus Device completes the numerical simulation, Inspect will graph the
simulated J-V characteristics, as shown in Figure 7.
i. To output the data, select the curve Current1 then, on the main menu, choose File >
Export > CSV.
ii. Exit Inspect. The Tecplot tool will load and display the simulated cross-sectional
properties of the device (such as energy band diagrams, electric fields, carrier
concentrations, etc) as a function of position. See Figure 8.
iii. To output data from this tool, on the main menu choose File > Export > Inspect
graph. Inspect will automatically launch, and the desired data can be plotted. To export,
repeat Step 5.e.i.
6. When the simulation is complete, the Inspect and Tecplot tools can be run individually for
ease of exporting data.
7. In order to run the simulation again if parameters are altered, repeat Step 5.
8. To abort a simulation, either click on the abort icon (to the right of the run icon on
the toolbar) or choose Nodes > Abort on the main menu.
For more details on the command file, refer to the tool‟s user guide. The files are located in the
user_guides directory.
Accessing a tool‟s command file is important in modifying simulation parameters and adding
variables to the Sentaurus Workbench.
An important aspect of understanding how Sentaurus works is understanding how the tools
communicate with each other, which is referred to as the tool flow, shown in Figure 9.
sde_dvs.cmd nX_mpr.par
current_des.plot
nX_epi.tcl
Epi Sentaurus Sentaurus Device
MatPar
nX_epi.scm Structure Editor
material.tcl
material.par MatPar_mpr.cmd plot_des.plot
model.tcl
grid_msh.tdr
Epi tool
Purpose: Easily creates a multilayered epitaxial stack.
Input: command_epi.csv comma separated values (csv) command file which specifies
the material, thickness, doping concentration, mole fraction and mesh size for
each layer.
Output: nX_epi.scm, which becomes input to the Structure Editor tool, and
nX_epi.tcl, which becomes input to the MatPar tool.
MatPar tool
Purpose: Builds the material parameter files used in the Sentaurus Device simulation.
Input: material.tcl is a tcl based file that allows the user to describe specific
material models (such as bandgap, mobility, etc),
material.par is a file that includes all relevant material parameters required
for Sentaurus Device; this file can be used instead of the material.tcl file,
model.tcl is a tcl based file used to model the parameter of a material as a
function of its dependencies (for example, temperature or doping); these model
To add a variable:
1. Right-click on the row below the tools.
2. Select Add.
3. Define the string of the variable along with its default value.
Note: Multiple values can be added to a specific variable by right clicking and selecting Add
Values.
This variable will have to be defined in the specific tool‟s command file as @string@. For
example, the width of the p-n junction is defined as “wtot” in the Sentaurus Workbench (see
Figure 2) and is explicitly referred to as @wtot@ in both the Epi and Sentaurus Device command
files.
where X represents the node number, and tool is a three-letter abbreviation referring to the tool
of the node (for example, mpr for MatPar).
Similarly, Sentaurus generates error files named nX_tool.err that can be accessed easily
through the View Output or Node Explorer options explained on page 7 and shown in Figure 6.
Note: It is important that you know node numbers. They can be seen on the Sentaurus
Workbench by pressing F9.
Summary
Synopsys Sentaurus is a powerful software package capable of simulating the electrical, optical
and thermal properties of complex semiconductor devices. This application note outlines the
necessary steps to launch the software and run the GaAs p-n junction tutorial project developed
by the author. It then describes the tools capable of modeling and simulating the diode and how
they interact in the simulation tool flow. Lastly, errors and debugging were discussed in a way as
to direct the user to the proper error and log files for more specific information.
You are encouraged to read the Template for Creating and Simulating Multilayered
Heterostructure Devices user guide [6] for further information on the use of the Epi and the
Sentaurus Structure Editor tools.
References
[1] “Epi/MatPar User Guide,” Synopsys, Inc. (2008).
[2] “Sentaurus Structure Editor User Guide,” Synopsys, Inc. (2008).
[3] “Sentaurus Device User Guide,” Synopsys, Inc. (2008).
[4] “Inspect User Guide,” Synopsys, Inc. (2008).
[5] “Tecplot User Guide,” Synopsys, Inc. (2008).
[6] “Template for Creating and Simulating Multilayered Heterostructure Devices,” Synopsys,
Inc. (2008).
[7] “Sentaurus Workbench User Guide,” Synopsys, Inc. (2008).