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Sentaurus Process
1. Getting Started

1.1 Working With This Module
1.2 File Types
1.3 Starting Sentaurus Process

Objectives

To provide an introduction to the features of Sentaurus Process.
To identify the file types used by Sentaurus Process.
To demonstrate how to run Sentaurus Process.

1.1 Working With This Module

Sentaurus Process is a highly flexible multidimensional process modeling environment. With its modern software architecture, it constitutes a solid base for process simulation. Calibrated to a wide range of the latest experimental data using proven calibration methodology, Sentaurus Process offers unique predictive capabilities for modern silicon and nonsilicon technologies.

In this module, you are guided through a series of examples of increasing complexity. The most widely used Sentaurus Process commands are introduced in the context of these examples.

The module discusses only arguments and options that are used in the given examples. For details about commands, see the Sentaurus™ Process User Guide.

A listing of the command file of Sentaurus Process is given at the end of each section in the form of an HTML link. You are encouraged to create a local copy of the command file from the browser (choosing File > Save As) and to run it. Some examples are given as Sentaurus Workbench package files. After creating a local copy, the files can be opened with Sentaurus Workbench.

1.2 File Types

The main file types used in Sentaurus Process are:

Command file (*.cmd)
This is the main input file for Sentaurus Process. It contains all the process steps and can be edited. This file is referred to as the command file or input file.
Log file (*.log and *.out)
Sentaurus Process generates a .log file when it is run from the command line and an .out file when it is run from Sentaurus Workbench. Both files contain information about each processing step, and the models and values of physical parameters used in it. The amount of information written to the log file is controlled by the info argument, which is available in nearly all commands. The global default information level (0) can be changed with pdbSet InfoDefault <n>. Allowed values of InfoDefault are 0, 1, and 2 with higher values indicating more verbose output. Any value higher than 2 will be interpreted as 2.
TDR boundary file (*_bnd.tdr)
This file stores the boundaries of the structure without the bulk mesh or fields. It can be used as the structure file for the Sentaurus Mesh meshing engine and can be loaded into Sentaurus Visual for viewing. The name of a TDR boundary file can be specified with the tdr argument of the init command of Sentaurus Interconnect, and then the loaded boundary will be meshed.
To open a TDR file, open a terminal window and launch the TDR file viewer with the command:
svisual <file_name>.tdr
TDR grid and doping file (*_fps.tdr)
TDR files can be used to split and restart a simulation. Such restart files are saved using the struct tdr=<c> command because restarting requires interface data, parameter and command settings, mesh ordering information, as well as bulk grid and data. If either !pdb or !interfaces is specified in the struct command, the TDR file will not be suitable for restarting. The TDR file can be loaded into Sentaurus Process using the init command, but the results of the subsequent simulation steps might differ in a simulation with splits and a restart, compared to a simulation of the entire flow in one attempt.
XGRAPH file (*.plx)
This file saves the 1D distributions of the doping concentration or other fields in a specified cross section. This file can be viewed by loading into Sentaurus Visual.

1.3 Starting Sentaurus Process

To start Sentaurus Process in interactive mode, type the following on the command line:

> sprocess

Sentaurus Process displays version and host information, followed by the Sentaurus Process command prompt.

****************************************************************************
***                          Sentaurus Process                           ***
***                          Version U-2022.12                           ***
***                      (2.7039201, x86_64, Linux)                      ***
***                                                                      ***
***                       Copyright (C) 1993-2002                        ***
***          The board of regents of the University of Florida           ***
***                       Copyright (C) 1994-2022                        ***
***                            Synopsys, Inc.                            ***
***                                                                      ***
***  This software and the associated documentation are confidential     ***
***  and proprietary to Synopsys, Inc.  Your use or disclosure of this   ***
***  software is subject to the terms and conditions of a written        ***
***  license agreement between you, or your company, and Synopsys, Inc.  ***
****************************************************************************

Compiled Mon Aug  1 18:47:31 PDT 2022 on tcadbld12

Started at: Tue Aug  2 10:29:56 2022 (CEST)
User name: letay
Host name: tesla-dell-lnx
PID: 7693
Architecture: x86_64
Operating system: Linux rel. 3.10.0-1127.10.1.el7.x86_64 ver. #1 SMP Wed Jun 8 \
  14:28:03 UTC 2022

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Checking syntax of n1_fps.cmd:
...

Commands can be now entered sequentially at the prompt.

To run Sentaurus Process in batch mode, type:

> sprocess input_fps.cmd

The command file is checked for correct syntax, and then the commands are executed in sequence until the simulation is stopped by the command exit or the end of the file is reached. Syntax-checking can be switched off with the command-line option -n: