TCAD process/device modeling challenges and opportunities for the next decade

Technology CAD process and device simulation tools play a critical role in advanced technology development by giving insight into the relationships between processing choices and nanoscale device performance that cannot be obtained from physical metrology tools alone. TCAD makes its greatest impact when a detailed understanding of the underlying physical mechanisms is tightly coupled within the technology development cycle so that physical insights feed directly into technology directions. This paper highlights progress in modeling over the past decade that has enabled this success and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.