Chair of Power Electronics and EMC

3. December 2010
Roman Baburske

Worksheet: First steps in SentaurusT CAD

Aim of the worksheet

• Simulation of a given diode structure

• Evaluation of simulation results

• Design modification of a diode

Preparation
• Login on the computer with your URZ-login.

• Open a Konqueror window and set up a new folder for the simulation files
(e.g. SimulationTCAD).

• Copy all files from /afs/tu-chemnitz.de/home/urz/r/rbab/

PUBLIC/Simulation in the new folder.

• There is a file named BashRC_CopyPaste.txt. Copy the content of

this txt-file into the .bashrc. The .bashrc is in your home directory.
To make the file visible, click in the menu bar, at View - Show hidden
files.

• Open a console and change into the new folder ( cd SimulationTCAD).

The first step - Simulation of a forward characterisitic

The Table 1 shows the job steps which are necessary to perform a device simula-
tion. In a first example ( 15kVpin_msh) the device geometry, material and the
doping profiles are already given. Open the files and draft the dimensions and the
net doping profile of the diode! (Hint: The File 15kVpin_msh.cmd consist of
the Definitions part and the Placements. The Definitions part defi-
nes the refinement areas for the grid and doping profiles. In the Placements part
the refinement areas and the doping profiles are placed in the device structure.)

Seite 1
 Chair of Power Electronics and EMC
3. December 2010
Roman Baburske

simulation file
job step
software tool
1 definition of the device geometry and the materials _msh.bnd
2 definition of the doping profiles
_msh.cmd
3 definition of the grid
4 meshing mesh
device model is ready for the device simulation
definition of simulation type, of the used physical mo-
5 dels; specification of the numeric solver and the evaluati- _des.cmd
on files
6 specification of the model parameters .par
7 perform the simulation sdevice
device simulation is finished
8 evaluation of the simulation results inspect, tecplot

Tabelle 1: Procedure for a device simulation.

Generate the numeric mesh! To do that write the following command into the
console: mesh 15kVpin_msh. After that, the following files should be in your
simulation folder: 15kVpin_msh.grd und 12kVpin_msh.dat. These files
are the input files for the device simulation.

The device simulation is defined in 15kVpin_forw100A_des.cmd. Open

this file. It contains the File, Electrode, Physics, Plot, Math and
Solve-section. The File-section contains the input and output files of the si-
mulation. The initial boundary conditions at the electrical contacts are defined in
the Electrode-section. The Plot-section is used to define the variables which
should be saved in the output file. In the Math-section it is possible to influence
the numeric solver. The Solve-section defines the simulation type (Quasistatio-
nary, Transient), the simulation goal, optionally some values for the numeric and
the equations (Poisson, Electron, Hole, Temperature, hTemperature, eTempera-
ture) which should be solved.
To start the simulation, type in the console:
sdevice 15kVpin_forw100A_des.cmd.

Seite 2
 Chair of Power Electronics and EMC
3. December 2010
Roman Baburske

If the simulation is finished, start the evaluation software by using the com-
mand inspect &. The following concepts lead to a visualization of the forward
characteristic:

• Open the output file at File>Load Dataset and choose the file
15kVpin_forw100_des.plt.

• Choose anode at the left field Datasets.

• Choose OuterVoltage and click at the bottom To X-Axis in the left

right corner.

• Choose TotalCurrent and click on To Left Y-Axis.

Task: Change the peak doping values of the emitter regions (p+ - and n+ -
region respectively) in such a way that the forward voltage drop at 100 A/cm2 is
smaller than 0.9 V! (The new diode should have at least the same reverse-recovery
softness). Important: Save the files under another name, because you will need the
original diode model for further tasks.

Second step - simulation of the reverse characteristic

The reverse characteristic is in the third quadrant. Contrary to the forward charac-
teristic, the anode current is negative. Use the file 15kVpin_forw100A_des.cmd,
save that file under a different name, e.g. 15kVpin_rev100A_des.cmd. In
the Solve-section the final value of the current is defined by the command
Goal{Name=“anode“ current=1e-6}. This value multiplied with the area
factor 1e8 gives a current of 100 A/cm2 . Change the goal value, so that the reverse
characteristic is simulated until -1 mA/cm2 . Perform the simulation! What is the
simulated breakdown voltage at 1 mA/cm2 ?

Task: Design a diode with a blocking capability of 1.2 kV (NPT-Design und

im PT-Design)! Use the emitter regions of the 1.5 kV-diode! [The equations to
calculate the base doping and the base width can be found in Lutz, „Halbleiter-
Leistungsbauelemente“, pp. 96 - 99.]

Seite 3
 Chair of Power Electronics and EMC
3. December 2010
Roman Baburske

Option 1: Comparison of the influence of different avalanche

models on the reverse characterisitic
The avalanche models are specified in the Physics-section under
Recombination( Avalanche(vanOverstraeten)). Use instead of the
van-Overstraeten/de-Man model the University of Bologna model (UniBo2). Per-
form the simulation and compare the reverse characteristics!

Option 2: A view inside the diode

To evaluate the physical parameters inside the diode the program tecplot should be
started with the command tecplot_ise. As an example, the electron density
and the hole density should be shown for a current density of 100 A/cm2 . Execute
the following steps in tecplot:

• Load the simulated files: File>Load. Choose

15kVpin_forw100_des.dat and 15kVpin_msh.grd!

• Export the data into inspect: File>Export>Inspect graph. You will

be ask some questions. It is important, that the silicon region is not ignored
and that the anode and cathode contact regions are ignored.

• Show the electron and hole density! (X on To X-Axis and

eDensity_[cm−3 ] on To Left Y-Axis, ...)

The plot command in the solve section of the des.cmd-file allows to save
the electrical values for special points in time. The plot command is commented
out in the file 15kVpin_forw100A_des.cmd. Delete the sign # and perform
again the simulation of the forward characteristic! The physical values are saved
for the current densities of 0 A/cm2 , 20 A/cm2 , 40 A/cm2 , 60 A/cm2 , 80 A/cm2 and
100 A/cm2 . Show the electron-density distribution for these six different current
densities by using tecplot!

Option 3: Reverse-recovery simulation

Perform the following steps:

Seite 4
 Chair of Power Electronics and EMC
3. December 2010
Roman Baburske

• Set up a new subfolder for the output files with the name
100A760Aus0200V.

• Open the simulation file 15kVpin_100A760Aus0200V_des.cmd. This

file contains a new part named System-section. In this part the simulation
circuit is defined. The device type (e.g. Vsource_pset), a device name
(e.g. VQ), the contact nodes and other secifying details are written. Draft the
simulation circuit according to the code in the file
15kVpin_100A760Aus0200V_des.cmd!
Hint: In the definition of a ideal switch Circuit_Switch_pset S (a
b c d), a and b show the contact nodes of the switch in the circuit. The va-
lues c und d specify the location of the control signal. In our case, the switch
uses the potential of the voltage source VQ as control signal. The value, at
which the switch is turned on is defined in the file
/SpiceCircuitFiles0200V/schalter.scf.

• Perform the simulation using the command:

sdevice 15kVpin_100A760Aus0200V_des.cmd!

• Plot the current and voltage in inspect! Open the file output_des.plt
in the subfolder 100A760Aus0200V!

Task: Perform an additional simulation with the tenfold value of the circuit
inductance! Is the reverse recovery soft? How big is the commutation speed di/dt?
Why?

Seite 5