DEVSIM Manual

This is the manual for the DEVSIM TCAD Semiconductor Device Simulator. For more information, please visit https://devsim.org. Links to the PDF version and other documents are available from https://devsim.org/introduction.html#documentation. Please cite the manual or simulator using the instructions in Citing this work.

Contents:

• 1. Front matter
  • 1.1. Contact
  • 1.2. Copyright
  • 1.3. Citing this work
  • 1.4. Contributing
  • 1.5. Documentation license
  • 1.6. Documentation source
  • 1.7. Software license
  • 1.8. Third party licenses
  • 1.9. Disclaimer
  • 1.10. Trademark
• 2. Release notes
  • 2.1. Introduction
  • 2.2. Version 2.9.0
    • 2.2.1. Windows Python Support
    • 2.2.2. VTK Writer
    • 2.2.3. Clang build on Windows
  • 2.3. Version 2.8.4
    • 2.3.1. Serialization of equation command
    • 2.3.2. Simulation Matrix
    • 2.3.3. macOS Build
  • 2.4. Version 2.8.3
    • 2.4.1. Linux support
    • 2.4.2. Clang format
    • 2.4.3. Get equation command
    • 2.4.4. Exception propagation
  • 2.5. Version 2.8.2
    • 2.5.1. Documentation refactor
  • 2.6. Version 2.8.1
    • 2.6.1. Help files
    • 2.6.2. Database command removal
  • 2.7. Version 2.8.0
    • 2.7.1. Python scripts
    • 2.7.2. Data output
    • 2.7.3. Platform support
  • 2.8. Previous releases
• 3. Getting started
  • 3.1. Introduction
  • 3.2. Getting help
  • 3.3. Supported platforms
  • 3.4. Install Python
    • 3.4.1. Create virtual environment
  • 3.5. Install DEVSIM
    • 3.5.1. Install
    • 3.5.2. Test
    • 3.5.3. Running DEVSIM
  • 3.6. Building from source
  • 3.7. Install external software tools
    • 3.7.1. Meshing
    • 3.7.2. Visualization
    • 3.7.3. Math libraries
• 4. User interface
  • 4.1. Starting DEVSIM
  • 4.2. Directory structure
  • 4.3. Python language
    • 4.3.1. Introduction
    • 4.3.2. DEVSIM commands
    • 4.3.3. Unicode support
  • 4.4. Error handling
    • 4.4.1. Exceptions
    • 4.4.2. Fatal errors
    • 4.4.3. Floating point exceptions
    • 4.4.4. Solver errors
    • 4.4.5. Example
  • 4.5. Verbosity
  • 4.6. Command help
  • 4.7. Parallelization
    • 4.7.1. Model evaluation
    • 4.7.2. Long operations
    • 4.7.3. External math libraries
  • 4.8. Reset simulator
  • 4.9. Array type input and output
• 5. Equation and models
  • 5.1. Overview
    • 5.1.1. Structures
  • 5.2. Bulk models
    • 5.2.1. Node models
    • 5.2.2. Edge models
    • 5.2.3. Element edge models
    • 5.2.4. Model derivatives
    • 5.2.5. Conversions between model types
    • 5.2.6. Equation assembly
  • 5.3. Interface
    • 5.3.1. Interface models
    • 5.3.2. Interface model derivatives
    • 5.3.3. Interface equation assembly
  • 5.4. Contact
    • 5.4.1. Contact models
    • 5.4.2. Contact model derivatives
    • 5.4.3. Contact equation assembly
  • 5.5. Custom matrix assembly
  • 5.6. Cylindrical coordinate systems
  • 5.7. Notes
    • 5.7.1. Interface
    • 5.7.2. Element assembly
    • 5.7.3. Edge volume model
    • 5.7.4. Element pair from edge model
• 6. Parameters
  • 6.1. Parameters
  • 6.2. Environment variables
  • 6.3. Notes
• 7. Circuits
  • 7.1. Overview
  • 7.2. Circuit elements
  • 7.3. Connecting devices
  • 7.4. Clearing circuit
• 8. Meshing
  • 8.1. 1D mesher
  • 8.2. 2D mesher
  • 8.3. Using an external mesher
    • 8.3.1. Gmsh
    • 8.3.2. Custom mesh loading using scripting
  • 8.4. Loading and saving results
  • 8.5. Mesh processing
  • 8.6. Notes
    • 8.6.1. Contacts
    • 8.6.2. Device and mesh deletion commands
    • 8.6.3. Periodic boundary conditions
• 9. Solver and numerics
  • 9.1. Overview
  • 9.2. Solution methods
    • 9.2.1. DC analysis
    • 9.2.2. AC analysis
    • 9.2.3. Noise and sensitivity analysis
    • 9.2.4. Transient analysis
  • 9.3. Extended precision
    • 9.3.1. Platform dependence
    • 9.3.2. How to control
    • 9.3.3. Kahan summation in extended precision mode
  • 9.4. Floating point exceptions
    • 9.4.1. FPE checking during external solve
    • 9.4.2. Additional Information
  • 9.5. Solver and math library selection
    • 9.5.1. Available libraries
    • 9.5.2. Automatic direct solver selection
    • 9.5.3. BLAS/LAPACK library selection
    • 9.5.4. Default math search path
    • 9.5.5. Determine loaded math libraries
  • 9.6. Custom direct solver
  • 9.7. Diagnostics
    • 9.7.1. Problem node identification
    • 9.7.2. Convergence information
  • 9.8. Symbolic factorization reuse
  • 9.9. Notes
    • 9.9.1. Convergence tests
    • 9.9.2. Simulation matrix
    • 9.9.3. Get matrix and rhs for external use
    • 9.9.4. Transient analysis
• 10. SYMDIFF
  • 10.1. Overview
  • 10.2. Syntax
    • 10.2.1. Variables and numbers
    • 10.2.2. Basic expressions
    • 10.2.3. Functions
    • 10.2.4. Commands
    • 10.2.5. User functions
    • 10.2.6. Macro assignment
  • 10.3. Invoking SYMDIFF from DEVSIM
    • 10.3.1. Equation parser
    • 10.3.2. Evaluating external math
    • 10.3.3. Models
• 11. Visualization and post processing
  • 11.1. Introduction
  • 11.2. Visualization software
    • 11.2.1. Overview
    • 11.2.2. Using ParaView
    • 11.2.3. Using VisIt
  • 11.3. Reducing file sizes
  • 11.4. Post processing
    • 11.4.1. Index information
    • 11.4.2. Element node list
• 12. Examples
  • 12.1. Included examples
  • 12.2. Test scripts
  • 12.3. Related projects
    • 12.3.1. Source code
    • 12.3.2. Examples
    • 12.3.3. Regression results
  • 12.4. Mobile app
  • 12.5. Third party libraries
• 13. Simple Examples
  • 13.1. Capacitor
    • 13.1.1. Overview
    • 13.1.2. 1D capacitor
    • 13.1.3. 2D capacitor
  • 13.2. Diode
    • 13.2.1. Overview
    • 13.2.2. 1D diode
• 14. Command Reference
  • 14.1. Circuit commands
    • add_circuit_node()
    • circuit_alter()
    • circuit_element()
    • circuit_node_alias()
    • delete_circuit()
    • get_circuit_equation_number()
    • get_circuit_node_list()
    • get_circuit_node_value()
    • get_circuit_solution_list()
    • set_circuit_node_value()
  • 14.2. Equation commands
    • contact_equation()
    • custom_equation()
    • delete_contact_equation()
    • delete_equation()
    • delete_interface_equation()
    • equation()
    • get_contact_equation_command()
    • get_contact_equation_list()
    • get_equation_command()
    • get_equation_list()
    • get_equation_numbers()
    • get_interface_equation_command()
    • get_interface_equation_list()
    • interface_equation()
  • 14.3. Geometry commands
    • get_contact_list()
    • get_device_list()
    • get_element_node_list()
    • get_interface_list()
    • get_region_list()
    • reset_devsim()
  • 14.4. Material commands
    • get_dimension()
    • get_material()
    • get_parameter()
    • get_parameter_list()
    • set_material()
    • set_parameter()
  • 14.5. Meshing commands
    • add_1d_contact()
    • add_1d_interface()
    • add_1d_mesh_line()
    • add_1d_region()
    • add_2d_contact()
    • add_2d_interface()
    • add_2d_mesh_line()
    • add_2d_region()
    • add_gmsh_contact()
    • add_gmsh_interface()
    • add_gmsh_region()
    • create_1d_mesh()
    • create_2d_mesh()
    • create_contact_from_interface()
    • create_device()
    • create_gmsh_mesh()
    • create_interface_from_nodes()
    • delete_device()
    • delete_mesh()
    • finalize_mesh()
    • get_mesh_list()
    • load_devices()
    • write_devices()
  • 14.6. Model commands
    • contact_edge_model()
    • contact_node_model()
    • cylindrical_edge_couple()
    • cylindrical_node_volume()
    • cylindrical_surface_area()
    • debug_triangle_models()
    • delete_edge_model()
    • delete_element_model()
    • delete_interface_model()
    • delete_node_model()
    • edge_average_model()
    • edge_from_node_model()
    • edge_model()
    • edge_solution()
    • element_from_edge_model()
    • element_from_node_model()
    • element_model()
    • element_pair_from_edge_model()
    • element_solution()
    • get_edge_model_list()
    • get_edge_model_values()
    • get_element_model_list()
    • get_element_model_values()
    • get_interface_model_list()
    • get_interface_model_values()
    • get_node_model_list()
    • get_node_model_values()
    • interface_model()
    • interface_normal_model()
    • node_model()
    • node_solution()
    • print_edge_values()
    • print_element_values()
    • print_node_values()
    • register_function()
    • set_edge_values()
    • set_element_values()
    • set_node_value()
    • set_node_values()
    • symdiff()
    • vector_element_model()
    • vector_gradient()
  • 14.7. Solver commands
    • get_contact_charge()
    • get_contact_current()
    • get_matrix_and_rhs()
    • set_initial_condition()
    • solve()
• 15. Bibliography

Indices and tables

• Index

• Module Index

• Search Page