SupremOO7:

Agent-based TCAD Development Environment

SUPREMOO7_LOGO

Principal Investigators

Project Leader

Related Information

Objective

Suprem OO7 is not only a process simulation tool (as is the present release), but to provide a flexible plug-and-play environment for 1-2-3D TCAD tool builders. New utilities such as gridder and geometry engine, new physical models, new numerical discretization and new linear and non-linear solvers can be integrated into the environment easily. OO7 takes its names from three perspectives:
  1. deep OO (Object-Oriented) methodology used throughout the software preserving maximum possible efficiency,
  2. AGENT-based (plug and play) environment
  3. maintaining all capabilities in Suprem 3 and 4 (3+4=7).

Approach

The main architecture is shown below the title. All servers and solvers have clearly defined applicational procedural interface (API).
  1. Minimal SWR Specification for 1-2-3D Geometry/Grid server.
  2. ALAMODE (A LAyered MODel Environment): dial-an-operator PDE definition, currently under construction.
  3. Unified user interface: tcl-based user interface, currently under construction.
  4. Visualizer: based on HDF-Vset or AVS, under construction.

Names, History and Related Tools

The name OO7 is not only a coincidence with James Bond as a powerful secret agent to symbolize the plug-and-play integration capabilities, but also stands for its use of latest Object-Oriented Programming techniques for its design. The number 7 symbolizes 3+4, which means that all of the capabilities in Suprem 3 and 4 (and in the future genuine and quasi 3D capabilities) will be provided.

The API between the physical tools (ALAMODE, SUPREM, SPEEDIE, FOREST, CAMINO, etc.) is the Minimal SWR Specification. The API between the physical tools and the unified user interface is still under development. Some of the preliminary ideas can be found in the tcl user interface of ALAMODE. There are more functions provided by the Suprem OO7 framework for building new tools. The dial-an-operator finite element approach used in ALAMODE can be applied to other PDE systems. The suite of linear solvers, both direct and iterative, with serial/parallel and matrix/matrix-free techniques can be then linked in the same way as ALAMODE.

Most of the new physical tools are built with support from the ARPA SprintCAD and SRC SUPREM projects. Information modeling of the entire TCAD hierarchy has been performed under the ARPA Computational Prototyping for 21st Century Semiconductors project.

Edwin C. Kan
kan@gloworm.stanford.edu
201 AEL, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
Office: (415)723-9796
Fax: (415)725-7731