Data processing: structural design – modeling – simulation – and em – Simulating electronic device or electrical system – Circuit simulation
Reexamination Certificate
1995-09-26
2002-09-03
Frejd, Russell W. (Department: 2123)
Data processing: structural design, modeling, simulation, and em
Simulating electronic device or electrical system
Circuit simulation
C703S002000, C716S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06446033
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for simulating the electrical characteristics of an electronic device and an apparatus for generating input data for the simulation of the electrical characteristics of an electronic device. For example, the present invention can be used as a technique to generate input data for various simulators and a tool for generating such data wherein information required for data to be used in the simulation of the capacity and current density of a line in a semiconductor device and the like is easily created on a computer with the aid of three dimensional shape input.
2. Description of the Related Art
The so-called 3D-CAD's (three-dimensional computer aided designers) including IDEAS (the trademark of a CAD from Structural Dynamic Res. Corp.) are known as data input apparatuses for three-dimensional simulation. Such general purpose three-dimensional input apparatuses have the following problems when used for the simulation of the capacity and current density of a line in a semiconductor device.
(1) Although various shapes can be input and complicated shapes can be specified, this requires an operator to master many operations. In the field of semiconductor devices wherein only a few kinds of simple shapes need to be input, such a technique unnecessarily increases complicatedness in operation.
(2) With such a technique, it is difficult to specify only a particular attribute of a shape, e.g., the specific resistance of a certain solid and whether a certain plane is an electrode or not.
(3) It is difficult to specify the relationship between shapes, e.g., whether they are continuous and whether they are parts of the same electrode.
On the other hand, simulation tools for electrical devices which are available on the market are conversely limited in the kinds of shapes that can be input using them (they can only input rectangular solids or the like). This is not sufficient to satisfy the actual needs in the art.
In consideration to such problems, there is a need for a system which allows the input of only particular shapes that are required for the simulation of a semiconductor device to simplify input operations and with which only required attributes can be reliably and simply set. However, no technique has been developed to achieve such a goal.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique suitable for the simulation of a semiconductor device. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for simulating the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device and an input data generation apparatus for the simulation of the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device which allow, for example, the simulation of the capacitance an d current density of a line in a semiconductor device to be carried out in such a manner that required data can be easily obtained, for example, on a screen and can be reused as input data for various simulators; data can be accurately generated; and the time for such operations can be shortened.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, the above-described object is achieved by a method for simulating the electrical characteristics of an electronic device, e.g., semiconductor device which includes a step of specifying the material, electrical characteristics and shape of a part of interest of a semiconductor device, the specification of the shape being performed by selecting it from among several preselected simplified shape models.
According to another aspect of the invention, the above-described object is achieved by a method for simulating the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device wherein a shape is specified by selecting it from among a truncated-conical shape, a hexahedral shape, and a spoon-cut shape.
According to another aspect of the invention, the above-described object is achieved by a method for simulating the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device wherein a hexahedral shape is specified by selecting it from among rectangular solids and a shape connecting rectangular solids.
According to another aspect of the invention, the above-described object is achieved by a method for simulating the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device wherein the electrical characteristics to be simulated are the electrical characteristics of a line in a semiconductor device and wherein steps are provided for inputting data indicating the material of the line to be simulated, data indicating the resistance of the line, data specifying the positions of electrodes in the line, data specifying the shape of the line, and data indicating the relationship between lines.
According to another aspect of the invention, the above-described object is achieved by an apparatus for generating input data for simulation which generates input information required for the simulation of the electrical characteristics of an electronic device, e.g., a semiconductor device wherein the material, electrical characteristics and shape of a part of interest of a semiconductor device is specified, the specification of the shape being performed by selecting it from among several preselected simplified shape models.
According to another aspect of the invention, the above-described object is achieved by an apparatus for generating input data for the simulation of the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device wherein a shape is specified by selecting it from among a truncated-conical shape, a hexahedral shape, and a spoon-cut shape.
According to another aspect of the invention, the above-described object is achieved by an apparatus for generating input data for the simulation of the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device wherein a hexahedral shape is specified by selecting it from among rectangular solids and a shape connecting rectangular solids.
According to another aspect of the invention, the above-described object is achieved by an apparatus for generating input data for the simulation of the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device wherein the electrical characteristics to be simulated are the electrical characteristics of a line in a semiconductor device and wherein steps are provided for inputting data indicating the material of the line to be simulated, data indicating the resistance of the line, data specifying the positions of electrodes in the line, data specifying the shape of the line, and data indicating the relationship between lines.
In the context of the present invention, the term “material” refers to data indicating the substance(s) that constitutes an object, and the term “electrical characteristics” refers to data or the like indicating the resistance of the material (dielectric constant or specific resistance). According to the present invention, the material and electrical characteristics of a part of interest are set. In this case, the material and the dielectric constant (specific resistance) and the like which are the electrical characteristics thereof can be written in a database in advance, and a user can use such values or can arbitrarily set such values.
According to the present invention, a shape is specified by selecting it from among several preselected simplified shape models which are typically a truncated-conical shape, a hexahedral shape, and a spoon-cut shape. In the implementation of the present invention, three kinds of shapes, i.e., “hexahedral shape”, “truncated-conical shape (including cylindrical shape)”, and “spoon-cut shape”, can be typically set as shapes that can be handled. Further, two kinds of hexahedral shapes, i.e., rectangular solids and a shape connecting rectangular solids, can be set.
It is possible to specify that an object is an electrode as an electrical characteristic (electrical attribute) especially when the object is specified as a hexahedron. In general, an electrode is an attribute of a face of a solid. An electrode may extend across a plurality of faces or a plurality of solids. There
Frejd Russell W.
Kananen, Esq. Ronald P.
Rader & Fishman & Grauer, PLLC
Sony Corporation
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