Ho Chi Minh City University of

Technology (HCMUT)
Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
*******

Solid State Electronic Devices

Laboratory
PROJECT REPORT
CLASS: TT02
LECTURER: NGUYEN TUAN HUNG
GROUP: 04

No. ID Full Name

1 2251006 Nguyễn Minh Duy
2 2211208 Nguyễn Đình Huy
3 2251037 Nguyễn Trí Ngọc

Department of Electronics Page | 1

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
OBJECTIVES
 The purpose of this lab is to learn how to use Atlas – Silvaco TCAD Tool.
 We learn how to use the Atlas command language to define a semiconductor device.
 We examine Schottky Diode Forward Characteristic.

PREPARATION FOR LAB 0

 Install Silvaco Tool.
 Read User manual.

REFERENCE
1. Atlas User’s Manual
2. TCAD Examples

Department of Electronics Page | 2

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
EXPERIMENT 1
Objective: Understand how to use the Atlas command language to define a semiconductor
device.

Requirement: Copy the following example code used for define Schottky Diode to DeckBuild,
then press Run. Observe the result.

# (c) Silvaco Inc., 2021

go atlas // start
atlas

mesh space.mult=1.0 // create a mesh with density 1.0

# // horizontal x
x.mesh loc=0.00 spac=0.5 // density 0.5 of location 0.00
x.mesh loc=3.00 spac=0.2 // density 0.2 of location 3.00
x.mesh loc=5.00 spac=0.25 // density 0.25 of location 5.00
x.mesh loc=7.00 spac=0.25 // density 0.25 of location 7.00
x.mesh loc=9.00 spac=0.2 // density 0.2 of location 9.00
x.mesh loc=12.00 spac=0.5 // density 0.5 of location 12.00
# // vertical y
y.mesh loc=0.00 spac=0.1 // density 0.1 of location 0.00
y.mesh loc=1.00 spac=0.1 // density 0.1 of location 1.00
y.mesh loc=2.00 spac=0.2 // density 0.2 of location 2.00
y.mesh loc=5.00 spac=0.4 // density 0.5 of location 0.00

region num=1 silicon // region number 1, material silicon

electr name=anode x.min=5 length=2 //electrode name anode from minimum

x=5 with length =2

electr name=cathode bot // place cathode at the bottom

#.....N-epi doping //doping is necessary to create semiconductor

doping n.type conc=5.e16 uniform //doping n-type, concentration=5 ×106 ,

uniform

#.....Guardring doping
doping p.type conc=1e19 x.min=0 x.max=3 junc=1 rat=0.6 gauss //doping p-
type; concentration=1019 ,;from x=0 to x=3,;junction=1; ratio=0,6 gauss

Department of Electronics Page | 3

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL

doping p.type conc=1e19 x.min=9 x.max=12 junc=1 rat=0.6 gauss //doping p-

type; concentration=1019; from x=0 to x=3; junction=; ratio=0,6 gauss
#.....N+ doping
doping n.type conc=1e20 x.min=0 x.max=12 y.top=2 y.bottom=5 uniform
//doping n-type; concentration=1020 ;from x=0 to x=12; y top=2; y bottom=5 ;j
unction=1; ratio=0,6 gauss
save outf=diodeex01_0.str // save output file name diodeex01_0.str
tonyplot diodeex01_0.str -set diodeex01_0.set // use tonyplot to set file
diodeex01_0.set

model conmob fldmob srh auger bgn // model simulate

contact name=anode workf=4.97 // run the correct contact name, with an
affinity of 4.17, the substrate is n-type silicon, and the workfunction of 4.97
that is provided yields a Schottky barrier height of 0.8V. Zero barrier height (a
perfect ohmic contact) is the default setting. For the cathode, this is taken for
granted.

solve init //start calculate

method newton //using newton method

log outfile=diodeex01.log //save file at diodeex01.log after calculation

solve vanode=0.05 vstep=0.05 vfinal=1 name=anode // anode
voltage=0.05, step=0.05 til final=1, name anode

tonyplot diodeex01.log -set diodeex01_log.set //use tony plot to draw file

diodeex01_log.set

quit

Department of Electronics Page | 3

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL

Instruction:
In the first part of the input file the device is described, including mesh, electrodes locations, and
doping distribution. This is a 2D n-type device with heavily doped floating p-type guard ring
regions, located at the left and right sides of the structure. The Schottky anode is located at the
top of the device, and a heavily doped cathode is located at the bottom of the device.
After the device description, the model statement is used to specify the following set of models:
carrier concentration dependent mobility (ccsmob) , field dependent mobility, band-gap
narrowing, SRH and Auger recombination. The two carrier model is specified here as well
(carriers=2).
The key statement for setting a Schottky contact is contact name=<char> work=<val> . It is
used to specify the workfunction of the Schottky electrode. In this example, since the substrate is
n-type silicon with an affinity of 4.17, the specified workfunction of 4.97 provides a Schottky-

Department of Electronics Page | 4

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL

barrier height of 0.8V. The default barrier height is zero (a perfect ohmic contact). This condition
is assumed for the cathode.
The electrical simulation simply ramps the anode voltage to 1.0V in 0.05V steps using
the solve statement. The results of the simulation are then displayed using TonyPlot.

Check:

 Show two results in TonyPlot Tool: IV characteristics and structure of device in 2D.

 In TonyPlot Window display structure of device, right click and choose “Display…”.

Click Contours Symbol, then click OK. Show the result. Explain the result.

 On Toolbar menu, choose Tools  Cutline. Draw a cutline at 6 micron vertical. Show
the result. Explain why we have this graph.

Department of Electronics Page | 5

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL

First, we mention about a cutline at 6 micron vertical. The range from 0 to nearly 2 microns, we
have a net dopping N-type (5.10^16 cm^-3). Then the P-type increase significantly to
1^19 cm^-3 . From 2 to 5 microns, the net dopping P-type remains at 1^19 cm^-3.

Second, we mention about a cutline at 3 micron vertical. The range from 0 to 1 microns, we have
a net dopping P-type ( 1^19 cm^-3). Then at approximately 0.9 micron, there is a
diffusion creating barrier, so a net dopping will reduce rapidly to nearly 1.9 cm^-3.
Passing that barrier, 5.10^16 N-type are dopped from 1.1 to 1.8 cm^-3. After that, it
increases to 10^20 cm^-3 and remain to 5 microns.

Third, we mention about a cutline at 9 micron vertical. The Net Dopping of this range is similar to
3 micron verticasl cutline. The range from 0 to 1 microns, we have a net dopping P-type (
1^19 cm^-3). Then at approximately 0.9 micron, there is a diffusion creating barrier, so a
net dopping will reduce rapidly to nearly 1.9 cm^-3. Passing that barrier, 5.10^16 N-type
are dopped from 1.1 to 1.8 cm^-3. After that, it increases to 10^20 cm^-3 and remain to 5
microns

 In TonyPlot Window display IV characteristics, why the current is negative?

Department of Electronics Page | 6

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL

In a process of fabrication, we dopping a P-type( full of holes) on an original N-type (free

electrons) . Because the concentration of P type is higher than N type, so holes will move
from P type to N type, and electrons will move from N type to P type, which creates an
approximately 0.6V potential barrier. This process is called "Diffusion". This will create a
very small negative current move from N type to P type ( from Cathode to Anode).

 Explain the code above for each line.

Department of Electronics Page | 7

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL
EXPERIMENT 2
Objective: Understand breakdown simulation with the curve tracer.

Requirement: Modify the example code above as the following. The different code is make bold.
Observe the result.

# (c) Silvaco Inc., 2021

go atlas

mesh space.mult=1.0
#
x.mesh loc=0.00 spac=0.5
x.mesh loc=3.00 spac=0.2
x.mesh loc=5.00 spac=0.25
x.mesh loc=7.00 spac=0.25
x.mesh loc=9.00 spac=0.2
x.mesh loc=12.00 spac=0.5
#
y.mesh loc=0.00 spac=0.1
y.mesh loc=1.00 spac=0.1
y.mesh loc=2.00 spac=0.2
y.mesh loc=5.00 spac=0.4

region num=1 silicon

electr name=anode x.min=5 length=2

electr name=cathode bot

#.....N-epi doping
doping n.type conc=5.e16 uniform

#.....Guardring doping
doping p.type conc=1e19 x.min=0 x.max=3 junc=1 rat=0.6 gauss
doping p.type conc=1e19 x.min=9 x.max=12 junc=1 rat=0.6 gauss

Department of Electronics Page | 8

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL

#.....N+ doping
doping n.type conc=1e20 x.min=0 x.max=12 y.top=2 y.bottom=5 uniform

save outf=diodeex01_0.str
tonyplot diodeex01_0.str -set diodeex01_0.set

model conmob fldmob srh auger bgn

impact crowell
contact name=anode workf=4.97

solve init
solve
solve vanode=0.1

method newton climit=1.e-4

curvetrace end.val=1e-4 contr.name=anode curr.cont mincur=1e-13

nextst.ratio=1.2

log outf=diodeex03.log
solve curvetrace
tonyplot diodeex03.log -set diodeex03.set
quit
Instruction:
The impact statement is used to activate the Crowell-Sze impact ionization model.
The method statement is used to activate the coupled Newton algorithm.
The curvetrace statement is used to initialize parameters for the curve tracing algorithm.
The contr.name parameter specifies the name of electrode for which the load line technique will
be applied. In this example it is the emitter. The curr.cont parameter means that value of current
will be monitored, and simulation will be stopped when the current exceeds the value specified
by the end.val parameter (1.e-3 A/micron in this case). The mincur parameter defines the
minimum

Department of Electronics Page | 9

Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL

Department of Electronics Page |

10
Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL

current value after which the load line technique will actually be applied. Before that point,
standard voltage boundary conditions are used. The nextst.ratio parameter defines the
maximum factor to use in increasing the voltage step on flat parts of the IV curve away
from the turning points.
The statement solve curvetrace is used to activate the curve tracing algorithm. The results
of the simulation are then displayed using TonyPlot.

Check:

 Show two results in TonyPlot Tool: IV characteristics and structure of device in 2D.

Department of Electronics Page |

11
Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL
 Explain the curve tracing algorithm the find the breakdown voltage.

We change the end.val=1e-5 to have the current graph. The graph shows the reverse
saturate current, when -Vknee voltage < v <0, the current i is very small
(approximatly smaller than 0), but when v < -Vknee voltage, the diode enters the
breakdown region and the reverse current increases sharply that will destroy the
diode

Department of Electronics Page |

12
Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)
 Find the breakdown voltage of diode from the IV characteristics.
 Laboratory 0:
GET STARTED WITH ATLAS – SILVACO TCAD TOOL
the breakdown voltage is -15.650 (V)

Department of Electronics Page |

13
Semiconductor Devices Laboratory (Advanced Program)