VisualTCAD 1.7.2-5

2011.09.29

New feature and bug fixes.

VisualParticle (New Product)

• GSeat: MonteCarlo Particle Simulator based on GEANT4, for simulation of single-event effects.
• VisualParticle: Graphical Interface to GSeat.

Genius Device Simulator

• New features:
• Experimental support for half-implicit transient-mode solvers, offers 5x faster simulation speed.
• Ray-tracing optics that supports lens and mirrors.
• Improvements and bug fixes:
• Solvers and Algorithms
  • Better cell truncation at boundary element, improved convergence.
  • Fine-tuned ASM linear pre-conditioners, improved convergence.
  • Improved curve-tracing algorithms for better detection of snap-back points.
  • Support Interconnect in circuit/device mixed-mode simulation.
  • Faster searching algorithm for tunneling partner node at semiconductor/insulator boundaries.
  • More accurate integration algorithm for transient simulation with optical- or particle-induced carrier generation.
• Physical models
  • Free-carrier optical absorption is supported.
  • Fixed a parameter in Philips mobility model.
  • Fixed materials parameter of Ti and Tungsten.
• General
  • Extended syntax: list values are supported in options.
  • Updated data format for importing energy deposition profile from GSeat particle simulation.
  • Calculates and outputs capacitances of all electrodes in AC simulation.
  • Import mesh file of the original Suprem4GS data format.

VisualTCAD

• Defining interconnects in simulation control.
• Scripting support in visualization module.
• Warning and information messages displayed in log console window.
• Fix a bug in constant current sources.

Gds2Mesh

• Added parameters to control the density of doping profile rays.
• Fixed several bugs related to regions with holes.
• Fixed a bug in GDML mesh export.
• Calculate doping concentration only in semiconductor regions.
• Support Box object in GDSII mask file.
• Stylized preview of mask graphs.

VisualTCAD 1.7.2-3

2011.06.29

New feature and bug fixes.

Genius Device Simulator

• Adaptive pseudo-time steps, allows pseudo-time analysis to converge in fewer steps.
• Improves BDF2 time-discretization, prevents inaccurate time-derivative estimation when carrier concentration is rapidly decreasing.
• Improves efficiency of importing radiation particle trajectory.
• More robust implementation of ray-element intersection calculation in ray-tracing optics.
• Fixes importing of boundary condition in CGNS.

VisualTCAD

• Editing user-defined circuit symbols and components.
• Define mesh-size-control boxes, in addition to control lines.

VisualTCAD 1.7.2

2011.05.13

New features.

Genius Device Simulator

• Proper truncation of triangle and tetrahedron with obtuse angles.
• Small-signal AC analysis for devices with resistive metal regions.
• Pseudo-time analysis mode for device simulation. Devices with floating regions, or other difficult-to-converge problems, have much improved convergence property with pseudo-time method. Iterative linear solvers can be used instead of direct solvers, drastically saving memory.
• Re-order circuit variables in vector and Jacobian matrix, improves convergence.
• Gmin-ramping and Source-ramping in device/circuit mixed simulation.
• Updated build system on Linux, with updated and optimized numerical libraries. Requires RHEL5 and above, support for RHEL4.x stopped.
• Fixed bugs related to distributed mesh.

VisualTCAD

• More complete support for simulation control options, including Gmin-ramping/Source-ramping in device/circuit mixed simulation.
• Create and edit custom circuit component libraries.
• Edit mesh-size-constraint items in device drawings.
• Improvements to the setting profile manager.

Gds2Mesh

• More mask generation options for SRAM.
• Fixed well contact doping in SRAM example.

VisualTCAD 1.7.1-4

2011.03.19

Bug fixes.

Genius Device Simulator

• Fix crash under Windows due to read violation.
• Update 3D mesh refine example (PN_Diode/pn_refine.inp).

Gds2Mesh

• Fix excessive message box when job finishes.

VisualTCAD 1.7.1-3

2011.02.28

Bug fixes.

Genius Device Simulator

• Option to adjust voltage reference used in potential damping.
• Improve parsing of large numbers in input files.

Gds2Mesh

• Allow multiple and intersecting fill-objects.

VisualTCAD

• Improve formatting of large numbers.

VisualTCAD 1.7.1-2

2011.02.28

Bug fixes with some new features.

Genius Device Simulator

• Distributed mesh storage, significant memory usage reduction in parallel simulation.
• Added GaN and AlGaN material models.
• Added HEMT example.
• Fix current direction calculation at heterojunction.

Gds2Mesh

• Fix typo in GUI that breaks polygon item in simple masks.

VisualTCAD 1.7.1-1

2011.02.14

Bug fixes with some new features.

Genius Device Simulator

• Waveform modulated (in time) by an envelope for light and irradiation sources.
• Adjust linear solver parameters for better stability
• Effective surface E-field for mobility calculation is turned-on by default.
• Exporting mesh and solution in DF-ISE format.
• Fix Jacobian matrix for some displacement current components.
• Fix error in importing 2D elements in DF-ISE file.

Gds2Mesh

• A simple GUI.
• Updated Python interface and documentation.

VisualTCAD GUI

• minor fixes

VisualTCAD 1.7.1

2011.01.06

New Features and enhancements.

Genius Device Simulator

• Added support for Windows 64bit platform.
• Added support for incomplete-ionization of dopant impurities.
• More efficient data structure to store solution data.
• Overhaul of the storage of user-defined solution variables.
• Load material optical parameters from data file.
• Improve support for quadrilateral mesh element with high aspect ratio.
• Fix bug in calculation of carrier quasi-Fermi-level when Bandgap narrowing is present.

Gds2Mesh

• Fix bug in doping profiles calculation.

VisualTCAD GUI

• Improves the editing of configuration profiles.
• Improves the mesh quality near region boundary.

VisualTCAD 1.7.0-2

2010.11.25

Enhancements and Bug-fixes to the 1.7.0-1 release.

Genius Device Simulator

• Added support for lattice heating and energy-balance solvers in resistive metal regions.
• Turn off experimental triangle truncation algorithm, which proves to causes instability.
• Fix ray-tracing crash when the intensity of one polarization vanishes at interface.
• Speed optimization at boundaries.
• Overhaul of the storage of solution variables.

Gds2Mesh

• Fix bug in placing doping profiles using a mask with holes.

VisualTCAD GUI

• Allow users to edit and switch configuration profiles.
• Improves to import of doping profile in Device2D.
• Synchronize selection between column view and the main spreadsheet.

VisualTCAD 1.6.3-1

2010.11.25

Maintenance release for the 1.6.x branch.

Genius Device Simulator

• Fix ray-tracing crash when the intensity of one polarization vanishes at interface

VisualTCAD GUI

• Incorporate new GUI features of 1.7.0-2.

VisualTCAD 1.6.3

2010.10.31

Maintenance release for the 1.6.x branch.

Genius Device Simulator

• Fix boundary width when importing mesh file.
• Improve stability of Sharfetter-Gummel discretization.

VisualTCAD GUI

• Incorporate new GUI features of 1.7.0-1 and 1.7.0.

VisualTCAD 1.7.0-1

2010.10.31

Bug-fixes to the 1.7.0 release.

Genius Device Simulator

• Fix boundary width when importing mesh file.
• Improve stability of Sharfetter-Gummel discretization.
• Fix nearest boundary node searching.
• Option to limit the maximum voltage ramp rate in transient simulation.
• Save boundary label in CGNS even if it has no mesh node (yet).

VisualTCAD GUI

• Fix python scripting in Win32.
• Fix memory leaks in XY plot.

Gds2Mesh

• Improve efficiency in calculating doping profiles.

VisualTCAD 1.7.0

2010.10.18

The 1.7.0 release contains many new features in the Genius simulator and the VisualTCAD GUI. A new product GDS2Mesh is released, and included in this version.

Genius Device Simulator

• Support realistic metal regions that is resistive. Resistive metal regions is allowed to be in contact with each other, circuit cells are constructed this way.
• Major speed-up in simulating large structures. Loading a 100K node structure is almost 10 times faster, the matrix assembly step is almost 2x faster. The overall speed up for SRAM simulation is ~1.5x.
• Experimental support for gate current (tunneling and hot carrier).
• Support TIF3D mesh data format.

VisualTCAD GUI

New features in VisualTCAD includes:

• Python scripting for automating common tasks in the following modules:
• 2D device drawing,
• spreadsheet,
• XY plot.
• Saving/loading XY plots to disk.
• Predefined palette for curve style/color in XY plots.
• In 2D device drawing, import 1D/2D doping profile from file.
• Support TIF3D mesh data format.
• Visulization module:
• Probe multiple variables in device.
• Select/deselect multiple regions to filter

GDS2Mesh (New Product)

Construct 3D TCAD model directly from GDSII mask layout. (included in the Linux package, but licensed separately).

VisualTCAD 1.6.2-2

2010.08.30

Bug fixes:

• Device 2D: correctly handle doping profile with zero height.

VisualTCAD 1.6.2-1

2010.08.11

Bug fixes:

• Mixed simulation: support numerical device with 32 pin (up from 7).
• Improve pseudo color plot in visualization module.

VisualTCAD 1.6.2

2010.08.02

VisualTCAD GUI

• 2D Device Drawing :
• Added "Ruler" tool, for measuring sizes of objects
• Support setting background doping concentration and mole fraction of material ares.
• Support placing mole fraction profile in device structure
• Support "Opaque" rendering mode, which is faster over remote display.
• Improves material selector
• Improves mesh quality
• Device Simulation:
• Allow boundaries and contacts to have different width in the Z-direction.
• Fix bugs related to impact ionization and band-to-band tunneling model parameters.
• X-Y Plot:
• Correctly handle negative values in log-scale plots
• Visualization:
• Support setting values of contour line

Genius Device Simulator

• Performance optimizations
• Bug fixes in heterojunction current, band-to-band tunneling models
• Support AlN material

VisualTCAD 1.6.1

2010.05.24

Genius Device Simulator

• Fixes an error in calculating current at heterojunction
• Improves convergence of AC small signal simulation
• Fixes random crashes after simulation is completed
• Add support for electron bean injection
• Fixes minor problems in exporting CGNS and VTK
• Report syntax error to log file, in addition to console
• Fixes optical parameters of some III-V and II-VI materials
• Fixes stdout/stderr buffer problem when using pythonw on windows.

VisualTCAD GUI

• Support dongle license keys
• Provides GUI in simplified Chinese language
• Fixes memory leak when requesting log
• Fixes excessive CPU usage when running long simulations
• Improves user-interaction in the object list in device drawing tools
• Check for duplicate region/profile names in device drawing
• Improves the ramp-up sequence of device simulation
• Fixes error in calculating simulation progress
• Fixes crash when using VTK window under X-over-TCP platform

VisualTCAD 1.6.0

2010.04.04

Public release with numerous bug fixes.

VisualTCAD 1.6.0-beta

2010.02.10

Test version released to distributors and selected customers.