Substrate and Gate Current Extraction

Requires: SSuprem 4/DevEdit/S-Pisces

Minimum Versions: Athena 5.22.3.R, Atlas 5.28.1.R

This is a MOS Athena/DevEdit/Atlas interface

example simulating substrate and gate current
versus gate bias using energy balance and impact
ionization models. This example demonstrates:

Process simulation of a MOS transistor in

Athena
Process parameter extraction (eg. oxide
thicknesses)
Autointerface between Athena and DevEdit
Remeshing using DevEdit
Autointerface between DevEdit and Atlas
Solution for a Vgs ramp with Vds=3.3V
Parameter extraction for maximum gate and
substrate currents

The process simulation, process parameter

extraction and electrode definition for this
example are exactly as described in the first
example in this section.

The grid requirements for Atlas simulation of

impact ionization effects are more stringent than
for the low electric field cases described earlier.
DevEdit is used to remesh the Athena structure
before proceeding to Atlas. DevEdit has two
modes. The graphical mode allows users to draw
and interactively edit regions and impurities. The
batch mode used here executes structure and
mesh commands similar to these. The syntax used
by DevEdit is described in the DevEdit manual. It
can be constructed from the DeckBuild Command
menu, or most commonly mesh edits made
during a graphical session can be saved as a
'command file' from the SAVE menu of DevEdit.

The imp.refine commands specify regrids on

impurities. Here a regrid on net doping is
performed. The constr.mesh command defines
the base mesh. The refine commands specify
mesh refinements inside boxes specified by the
coordinates in each statement.

The Atlas simulation contains similar syntax to

the simple examples described earlier in this
section. The solution of the energy balance
equations for electrons is specified by the
parameter hcte.el The parameter hei specifies
the hot carrier injection model, which gives the
gate current. The equivalent hcte.ho and hhi exist
for holes but is not required in NMOS simulation.

The impact ionization model is selected on the impact statement. The parameter lrel.el sets the relaxation time for electrons in this model.
Although the hei model is directly responsible for the gate current, there is no 'special' model required to simulate substrate current.
Running this sweep of gate voltage with a high drain bias and including impact ionization and energy balance supplies all the necessary
physics. The substrate current can simply be plotted from the log file in a similar manner to the drain current. No special extraction of
substrate current is needed.

The extract statements used in this run extract the peak value and position of the substrate and gate currents. The value of the peak
current is measured first. This result is then used in a current search to find the gate voltage where this current is measured.

To load and run this example, select the Load button in DeckBuild > Examples. This will copy the input file and any support files to your
current working directory. Select the Run button in DeckBuild to execute the example.