A novel CAD framework for substrate modeling

This paper presents a novel Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) framework for 3D extraction of the substrate electrical network. The proposed CAD tool (framework) models efficiently the minority carrier propagation inside substrate network especially for smart power ICs. Today, the minority carrier propagation into the substrate is ignored in existing SPICE simulators. It can be simulated using finite element methods in TCAD. Generally, TCAD simulations are accurates but take long time. Thus, they become of limited help for large scale ICs involving hundreds of transistors. In the context of the FP7 AUTOMICS project, the extraction tool will take into consideration the minority carriers effects. It will allow the designer to predict the minority carrier propagation through the substrate. This can be useful in evaluation the efficiency of ESD protection and latchup faults due to this leackage current in the substrate specially in HV/HT applications. With the proposed substrate network, the three-dimensional layout parasitics are constructed and substrate noise is simulated before first silicon fabrication. A simple diode example is illustrated to demonstrate the principal idea of the extraction tool.