Victory Process 2D and 3D Layout-Driven Simulator

TCAD Process simulation is crucial to develop new technologies, as well as maintain existing semiconductor processes. Virtualizing the manufacturing process allows organizations to maintain a “digital twin” of their semiconductor process. Changes in process can be well understood; maximizing device performance, increase manufacturing yield, while minimizing number of engineering cycles and cycle time.

Benefits

Allow optimization of existing processes and provides predictive scaling behavior
Increase understanding of novel technology challenges
Reduce mask and prototyping foundry cost by replacing experiments by simulation
Reduce time-to-market by creation of virtual process based PDK prior to silicon for fabless companies

Typical Applications

Advanced CMOS: FinFET, FDSOI, Bulk CMOS
Display technology: TFT, LED, OLED
Power & RF technologies: Silicon BiCMOS and BCD, SiC, GaN
Optical and photonics: CIS, Solar Cell, Laser, Waveguides, Modulators

Core Functionality

Automatic switching between 1D, 2D and 3D modes
Masked-based process simulation, with direct import of GDSII layouts
Integration within Silvaco TCAD flow
- Run simulations and analyze results with TCAD Interactive tools
- Set up Design of Experiments routines with Victory DoE
- Export results to TCAD Device Simulation, or for 3D RC extraction
High performance due to efficient multi-threading
Open Model Interface to add new semiconductor process physics
Open Material Database to add new materials and parameters

Ion Implantation

Analytical implantation mode

Experimentally verified Pearson and double-Pearson analytical models, including user-defined moments
Import doping profiles
Analytical profiles (Gaussian, ERFC)

Monte-Carlo (MC) implantation mode

Binary Collision Approximation Monte Carlo calculations for crystalline and amorphous materials
Universal tilt and rotation capability for Monte Carlo calculations
Empirical models for implantation induced crystal damage; Plus-one model for point defect, <311> cluster model

Dopant Diffusion & Activation

Impurity diffusion in general multi-material structures in 1D, 2D, and 3D
Comprehensive set of default models:
- Direct / Fick model, Fermi model, Fully Coupled model, Five-stream model, Single-pair model, Single-pair model for interstitial supersaturation, Two-Dimensional model, Grain-based polysilicon model
Empirical and transient activation models
Point defect trapping and clustering models
Coupled with oxidation&oxidation enhanced diffusion
Open modeling interface for user-defined diffusion and activation models
Open and flexible material database for modeling parameters

Oxidation

Calibrated Silicon and Silicon Carbide oxidation
No limitation on materials that can be oxidized. Expansion via Open Model Interface and Open Material Database
Three modes of operation:
- Analytical, Empirical (Massoud Model), & Full physical mode
In the full physical mode
- the oxygen transport and material flow are solved numerically
- Stress calculation including impact on oxidation characteristics
- Influence of the ambient composition
- Crystal orientation effects
- Influence of doping on the oxidation rate

Deposition & Epitaxy

Fast geometrical deposition models for structure prototyping
Physical conformal and non-conformal deposition models with selectivity
Physical directional deposition models. Shading and visibility effects are taken into account at feature level
Secondary effects are taken into account, including reflection of deposited material
Multi-particle physical deposition models are supported
Ion beam deposition model with comprehensive beam control, material-specific tabulated sticking functions
Epitaxy simulation based on selective deposition models. Isotropic as well as anisotropic growth characteristics

Etching

Fast geometrical etching models for structure prototyping
Physical ideal wet etching with isotropic and anisotropic etching characteristics
Idealized physical dry etching with selectivity
Physical etching of complex multi-material structures with selectivity
Shading and visibility effects are taken into account
Secondary effects are taken into account including reflection of reactive particles & redeposition of extracted material
Multi-particle physical etching models supported, for example Ion Enhanced Chemical Etch model
Ion milling model with comprehensive beam controls, material-specific tabulated yield functions

Photolithography

Stress & Strain

Stress analysis during or after process simulation, on arbitrary 2D or 3D structure
Models for various sources of strain and stress:
- Thermal mismatch between material layers
- Local lattice mismatch due to material interfaces of dissimilar materials
- Initial deposit stress in specified regions
- External (hydro-static) stress from capping layers
- Stress/strain generated in previous processing step (e.g., oxidation).
Stress simulation for various crystalline (e.g., Si, SiGe, GaAs) materials with anisotropic stress accounting for wafer orientation, and isotropic (e.g., silicon nitride and oxide) materials.