Steven J. Hillenius Executive Vice President

Semiconductor Research Corporation

Industrial perspective for university research trends

Trends in Simulation at Nano-scale

Needs for semiconductor simulation

Managing complexity

Creating multilevel design tools

Determining the technology limits

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Example: Electronic Cell

Major functional blocks: Sensing Communication Control Energy

Layout: 3D microcircuits

~10 m

S4

S1 S2

Control

Energy

Communicatio

n

S3

Constraints and Trade-offs:Very limited space

needs to by divided between

sensors

power supply

electronic components

Scaling Limits need to be Understood

Technology Convergence

Extreme scaling

needed

High Level needs for nano-scale devices

Integrated multilevel perspective: From molecule to mesoscale nanostructures to microscale thin films

and components to circuit level simulations of integrated devices From femto scale electronic transitions and nanoscale and microscale

molecular dynamics through macroscopic properties and behavior.

Complexity of materials modeling in nanotechnology is increasing, due to increasing complexity from a variety of factors, which include: Combinatorial System: Number of materials has continued to

increase with each technology. Size: Most of the devices have dimensions close to material domain

sizes (e.g. grain size, thin film thickness).  Topography: Non-planar material structures modulate properties and

behavior, due to different materials at multiple interfaces. Topology of the nanostructures and molecules. 

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Nanoscale simulation topics of importance to the Semiconductor Industry

Process-related: Interface of high-K dielectric on difference channel materials

(III-V, CNT, graphene, Ge… as function of surface orientation, termination…)

Ultra-rapid thermal annealing (activation and diffusion in micro-s time frame)

Contact morphology Strain in 3-D nanostructures Defect formation due to strain Process variability (line-width roughness, doping fluctuation,

thermal fluctuation…) Self-assembly Synthesis to structure & composition, especially for the

interfaces and multi-interface material structures. Probe interactions with samples to enhance quantification of

structure, composition, and critical properties.

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Nanoscale simulation topics of importance to the Semiconductor Industry

Device-related: Band structures in various III-V compounds Band structures in 3-D structures (FinFET, CNT, graphene

nanoribbon…) Ballistic transport Dissipative quantum transport Transport through contact Strain-enhanced transport Device output variability (due to process variability) Reliability (High-K interface, hot-carrier, TDDB, NBTI, …) Analog performance (1/f noise, RTN…) Parasitics and cross-talk Modeling of novel memories (MRAM, PCRAM, ferroelectric,

nano-crystals…)

Circuit-related: Compact modeling interface Predictive modeling for design of complex SoCs on advanced

processes. Reliability simulation (NBTI, TDDB, HCI, RTN) that were not as

evident in older processes.. Higher frequency design (GHz to THz) Robust design elements

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Nanoscale simulation topics of importance to the Semiconductor Industry