A device is of little use if we do not describe its behavior with a model. Ideally, a physics-based analytical equation describes all aspects of the devices we study. If the involved physics is too complex, we revert to computer modeling - usually with finite-element modelling (FEM) techniques, sometimes using Monte Carlo. Our work on device modeling covers topics in which new materials and/or multiphysics (optics, mechanics) are required, for example:
- Power devices, e.g. LDMOS, diodes and trench MOS
- Silicon light emission, e.g. Fin-LEDs and AMLEDs
- Silicon and germanium-based photodetectors, e.g. SPADs and avalanche photodiodes
- Resonators
- Nanoscale effects, e.g. in ultra-thin semiconductors
- New materials in devices, e.g. piezoelectric materials
- Multiparameter flow sensors, e.g. measurement of the viscosity of a gas by measuring the pressure drop along a channel
We use a variety of FEM tools to model our devices, such as Silvaco, Synopsys and COMSOL Multiphysics. For analytical calculations we also have tools such as Mathcad, and Mathematica.