Single-Particle Approach to Self-Consistent Monte Carlo Device Simulation

摘要

The validity and capability of an iterative coupling scheme between single-particle frozen-field Monte Carlo simulations and nonlinear Poisson solutions for achieving self-consistency is investigated. For this purpose, a realistic 0.1 μm lightly-doped-drain (LDD) n-MOSFET with a maximum doping level of about 2.5 x 10~(20) cm~(-3) is simulated. It is found that taking the drift-diffusion (DD) or the hydrodynamic (HD) model as initial simulation leads to the same Monte Carlo result for the drain current. This shows that different electron densities taken either from a DD or a HD simulation in the bulk region, which is never visited by Monte Carlo electrons, have a negligible influence on the solution of the Poisson equation. For the device investigated about ten iterations are necessary to reach the stationary state after which gathering of cumulative averages can begin. Together with the absence of stability problems at high doping levels this makes the self-consistent single-particle approach (SPARTA) a robust and efficient method for the simulation of nanoscale MOSFETs where quasi-ballistic transport is crucial for the on-current.