Recent Progress in Algorithms for Semiconductor Device Simulation

This paper reviews recent progress in algorithms for semiconductor device simulation based on the traditional drift-diffusion equations. An upwinding (streamline-diffusion-like) procedure for discretizing the equations in space is described. Non-tensor-product grids have been useful for these convection-diffusion problems; the new discretization is less sensitive to the geometry of the triangulation. We also review some of the techniques that we have found effective for dealing with the associated nonlinear and linear equations. In particular, we review some Krylov-subspace methods for the linear systems of equations and discuss a special pre-conditioner. Some computational results of two- and three-dimensional simulations are presented.

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