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Compact Model Council Members Elect HiSIM-RF Surface Potential SPICE Model for Standardization

Silvaco, a leading vendor of commercial circuit simulation and EDA software, today received the great news from the Compact Model Council (CMC) that the HiSIM-RF Surface Potential SPICE Model was elected by its members for standardization. The HiSIM-RF model was developed at Hiroshima University, a leading Japanese research institution in SPICE model development. Silvaco has always endorsed the HiSIM-RF model throughout its evolution and development.

"We congratulate the HiSIM-RF development team that won this competition among several very qualified candidates," said Dr. Ivan Pesic, CEO of Silvaco. "I believe that the model's accurate surface potential algorithms, high performance integrated derivatives, and Berkeley-style interface for ease of integration were some of the key features that CMC members were seeking in their next generation compact model."

The current industry standard BSIM3 and BSIM4 models, while very successful over the past decade, are not able to accurately model the behaviors of technologies at 90nm and below. The CMC believes that a new standard MOSFET model is now needed, one that is inherently symmetric, continuous, and physically correct for charges and currents.

The CMC examined many qualified MOSFET model candidates and voted down to two finalists for standardization. The second finalist was the PSP model from Philips and the University of Pennsylvania.

The Compact Model Council is a group of 27 voting companies that was formed in August 1996 for the purpose of promoting the international, nonexclusive standardization use and implementation of compact models. Compact models are mathematical descriptions (equations) of semiconductor devices used by analog circuit simulators. Integrated circuit designers and printed circuit board designers use circuit simulators to accurately predict the behavior of electronic devices before the devices are manufactured.

Silvaco Analog/Mixed-Signal/RF Circuit Simulators

As a leading commercial SPICE vendor, Silvaco sponsored the HiSIM-RF model. Silvaco successfully integrated the model into its SmartSpice Circuit Simulator, SmartSpice-RF Harmonic Balance-based Simulator, and Harmony-AMS Mixed-Signal Simulator for model evaluation according to CMC model selection guidelines. Silvaco's UTMOST SPICE Modeling Software with a genetic optimization algorithm was used to extract the model parameters from CMC 90nm device data for member evaluation.

About Silvaco

Silvaco International, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is a leading vendor of electronic design automation software (EDA) for the development of analog and mixed signal integrated circuits. Founded in 1984, the company delivers technology computer aided design (TCAD) simulation software, SPICE parameter extraction, circuit simulation, and physical IC design/verification software products. The company integrates these proven products with experienced support and engineering services to provide complete semiconductor process, device and design automation solutions in CMOS, bipolar, SiGe, and compound technologies. Worldwide customers include leading foundries, fabless semiconductor companies, integrated semiconductor manufacturers, universities, and designers of integrated circuits who require the utmost accuracy in their analog designs.

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