Premium
Comparative study of finite element formulations for the semiconductor drift‐diffusion equations
Author(s) -
Trattles J. T.,
Johnson C. M.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal for numerical methods in engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.421
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1097-0207
pISSN - 0029-5981
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0207(19970930)40:18<3405::aid-nme219>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - discretization , interpolation (computer graphics) , finite element method , diffusion , transient (computer programming) , mathematics , poisson's equation , convection–diffusion equation , temporal discretization , semiconductor device , semiconductor , mathematical analysis , computer science , engineering , physics , materials science , structural engineering , thermodynamics , electrical engineering , layer (electronics) , composite material , operating system , animation , computer graphics (images)
A number of transient and steady‐state finite element formulations of the semiconductor drift‐diffusion equations are studied and compared with respect to their accuracy and efficiency on a simple test structure (the Mock diode). A new formulation, with a consistent interpolation function used to represent the electron and hole carrier densities throughout the set of semiconductor drift‐diffusion and Poisson's equations, is introduced. Results highlight the advantages in using consistent interpolation functions showing an increased accuracy in the calculated values and a saving in data storage and execution time. The results also illustrate how the use of different time integration methods affect the number of time steps required during transient simulations. The combination of the fully consistent DFUS with appropriate time integration methods is found to yield a saving of up to 80 per cent of the execution time required for standard spatial/temporal discretization techniques. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.