Project 1: Introduction to IC-CAP

IC-CAP: Integrated Circuit Characterization and Analysis Program

About IC-CAP: Use of accurate device models is essential during simulation of an

integrated circuit system. A realistic model can be obtained if the model parameters could be extracted from the measured electrical characteristics of the devices. IC-CAP provides a quick methodology to measure and extract the model parameters of a device. It has options for both built-in and user defined models. Hence, through use of IC-CAP modeling suite, device models can be extracted and optimized from scratch. These models will fit for SPICE simulation of a circuit system. ICCAP was written in C++ and takes advantage of the power of object oriented programming. At the top of the hierarchy is the MODEL which is intended to be a collection of measurement setups, processing variables and equivalent circuit parameters which are necessary to determine a SPICE model for an integrated circuit. Several Devices Under Test (DUTs) with their own set of variables often make up a circuit. The DUT level can be utilized to separate fundamental device concepts or components. For example, a BJT has two distinct pn diodes within it which will be individually characterized as separate DUTs. Each DUT level can have any number of measurement setups (for all practical purposes) since many instruments and probe configurations may be needed to determine each DUT's parameters (equivalent circuit). Each setup can also have its own variables and parameters. Equations can be used to EXTRACT equivalent circuit parameter values from measurements. Such calculations can come close to creating a good SPICE model, but they are inevitably based on approximations. SIMULATIONS (by SPICE) of the SPICE model based on the extraction results or default values can be compared to the real data for some or all of the measured data sets and OPTIMIZED for best fit by iterative techniques (Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm). SPICE will be used by ICCAP several times during an optimization to generate the predicted results from the measurement setup and current SPICE parameters. Iterative adjustment of the parameters between each SPICE call improves the "fit" with the actual measured data set. The user determines when the agreement between actual and simulated data (from the model) is good enough. The resulting model is called "optimized".

Objective: The objectives of Lab1 are to

Make students familiar with IC-CAP. Extract an equivalent circuit model in SPICE for a PN junction diode.

Diode Circuit Model: The forward current of a pn junction diode can be written as,

v D nV i D = I S e T 1,

(1)

kT , k is the Boltzman constant and T is the temperature in Kelvin. Based on q this fundamental equation, a simple circuit model of the diode can be formed. The simple dc equivalent circuit for the diode is shown in Figure 1. From measured iD-VD characteristics, the following parameters are extracted through IC-CAP and also corresponding SPICE code is generated. where VT = Body (n and p regions) and contact resistance, RS Reverse satuaration current, IS Ideality factor, n

Figure 1: Equivalent circuit of a pn diode

Tasks
1. 2. 3. Measure iD-VD characteristics of a junction diode through use of DAQ and Labview Extract the diode parameters, RS, IS and n through IC-CAP Generate a SPICE model of the diode

Task 1:
Take a standard pn diode. Measure the forward iD-VD characteristics of the diode. For measurement hints, read the instructions in Lab 2 from the following link: http://www.ece.utk.edu/~farquhar/labwiki/doku.php?id=ece_335_lab

Task 2:

Step 1: Open a model file Follow the following path to open a built-in model of IC-CAP for a pn-juction diode: Examples\model_files\diode\pn_diode.mdl

Figure 2: IC-CAP Main window

After opening the file, IC-CAP Main window will look like Figure 3.

Figure 3: IC-CAP Main window showing the diode model

Step 2: DUT/Setup Double click the diode icon in Main window (Figure 3). The window shown in Figure 4 will appear if you click on idvd Setup for dc DUT.

Figure 4: Diode DUTs and Setups

Measure or Import Data: IC-CAP can be interfaced with measuring instruments for input data. To see the list of the supported instruments, click on the Hardware Setup icon in the window shown in Figure 4. The Instrument Library (Figure 4) shows the list of instruments. For this lab, you will import measured data from previously saved data file. To create an input data file for IC-CAP, you need to follow a format to fit the IC-CAP input idvd setup. The data file should have headers for input variables. The easiest way to to create an input file is to use IC-CAP command. Then edit the IC-CAP generated model file and fill variable columns using your measured data.

Figure 5: Hardware Setup for measurement of DUTs

Creating input/model file:

Click on Export Data to create a model file with IC-CAP set up format (Figure 6). Check the created file which will look like Figure 7. You delete the numbers under va and ia columns, insert your measured data for the diode and save the file. Then go back to diode window, click on Import Data and select the modified model file with your measured data (e.g. diode_idvd.mdm).

Figure 6: Generation of .mdm file

Figure 7: Sample of .mdm file

Step 3: Extraction and Optimization To extract the parameters from the measured data, you need to execute the extract function in the window shown in Figure 8. You can see the extracted values in Status window (Figure 9).

Figure 8: Extraction and Optimization window

Figure 9: Extracted values of the parameters in Status window

To optimize the values of extracted parameters execute the optimization functions from the Transform list (Figure 10).

Figure 10: Optimization step

You will see the optimized values for IS (IS) and N (n) in the status window (Figure 11). Similarly, find the value for RS.

Figure 11: Optimized values of the parameters

Step 4: Generate SPICE file Click on the Simulation Debugger icon and run Simulate from the diode window. Save

Figure 12: SPICE Input file in Simulation debugger window

the simulation input file (Figure 12) which is your SPICE circuit file. Step 5: View Plots To see the match between measured characteristics and simulated characteristics from the optimized model, click on i_vs_v from Plots menu and you will get both (measured and simulated) iava characteristics

Figure 13: Measured and Simulated forward characteristics of diode

Report 1. Give table for extracted and optimized values of parameters 2. Take snapshots of your every working step 3. Attach the SPICE file and your measured data

10