Silvaco TCAD 2018

Layout-Driven 3D Process Simulator

Victory Process is a general purpose 1D, 2D and layout-driven 3D process simulator for applications including:

Etching and Deposition

• with geometrical models for fast structure prototyping
• with physical models for detailed process step analysis

Implantation

• with very fast analytical models
• with very accurate Monte-Carlo models

Annealing

• with comprehensive set of doping diffusion models
• with a hierarchy of oxidation models

Stress simulation

• with stress history for stress engineering

Introduction

One of the most important uses of TCAD tools is to explore new device technology where many exploratory simulations are performed in order to give the device designer a better understanding of the possible benefits and drawbacks of a given technology. This use case demands sequential simulations with some analysis in between. To be useful, many simulation cycles must be run within the time allocated for exploration, placing a high priority on minimization of simulation run time. Currently, full-flow standard CMOS simulations are most often accomplished with a combination of 1D and 2D simulation. Most of the information desired from TCAD simulations can be extracted from the simplification that the device can be treated uniformly in depth (i.e. a 2D simulation). However, for devices which are 3D by nature like FinFET，or to investigate shadowing effect during implantation or the shape of a trench on the Breakdown Voltage of a power device， 3D simulations must be performed.

The ultimate goal of process simulation is an accurate prediction of the active dopant distribution, the stress distribution, and the device geometry. Shrinking device dimensions place increasing demands on the accuracy of dopant and stress profiles, so new process models are added for each generation of devices to match new accuracy demands.

To address these increasingly stringent demands, Silvaco developed Victory Process, a brand new 1D, 2D and mask-based 3D process and stress simulator that extends the leading technology legacy of 2D Standford tools to the next generation of process simulation for both, foundries and fabless design houses.

Victory Process has two modes of operation:

• The Advanced structure editor mode, or cell mode: for fast proto-typing of 3D structures
• The Process simulator mode: full feature, level-set based process simulator, more suited to detailed process based simulation, such as complex physically-based etching, deposition, redeposition ion beam milling experiments and stress dependent oxidation analysis

Features

• Fast 3D structure prototyping capability enables the in-depth physical analysis of specific processing issues
• Comprehensive set of diffusion models: Fermi, fullcpl, single-pair, and five-stream
• Physical oxidation simulation with stress analysis
• Extremely accurate and fast Monte Carlo implant simulation
• Efficient multi-threading of time critical operations of Monte Carlo implantation, diffusion, oxidation and physical etching and deposition
• Sophisticated multi-particle flux models for physical deposition and etching
  • with substrate material redeposition
  • with particle reflection
• Open architecture allows easy introduction and modification of customer specific physical models
• Seamless link to 3D device simulators including structure mirroring, adaptive doping refinement and electrode specification
• Easy to learn, powerful debug mode and user friendly SUPREM-like syntax
• Athena compatibility
• Can also be used in 1D and 2D as a fast calibration platform
• Automatic switching from 1D, 2D and 3D mode
• Generation of parametrized layouts within the simulator input deck
• Stress simulation, including external and intrinsic stress, lattice and thermal mismatch, doping and stressor layers
• Physics based opto-lithographic simulator for realistic photo-resist mask shapes

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