Finite Elements in Semiconductor Devices

The system of partial differential equations which forms the basic semiconductor equations together with appropriate boundary conditions cannot be solved explicitly in general. Therefore, the solution must be calculated by means of numerical approaches. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a computer simulation technique used in engineering analysis with numerical technique called finite element method (FEM). The aim of this paper is to show the progress obtained in understanding the relationship between finite elements with the basic semiconductor equations. An implementation of FEM also includes Gummel´s and Newton-Raphson algorithms for both Poisson and current continuity equations. Results for the numerical analysis are shown for Gate Turn-Off (GTO) thyristor based on silicon carbide (SiC) materials.