Practical methods of device and circuit modelling

Several methods of device and circuit modelling are reviewed, followed by a detailed outline of state-of-the-art equivalent circuit and physical modeling techniques applicable to both device and circuit design. It is noted that the requirement for CAD (computer-aided design) utilities which extend available linear design techniques into the large-signal regime is being met by both equivalent circuit and physical device models, coupled with powerful algorithms such as the harmonic balance technique. The advent of fast physical device models allows the designer to optimize both devices and circuits based on the actual device structure, without resorting to electrical measurements at the design stage. This is particularly important in the design of integrated circuits, where it is essential to minimize the cost of the design-fabrication cycle