Method for optimizing the characteristics of integrated circuits components from circuit specifications

A method for optimizing a design of a device, comprising the steps of:

• (a) identifying variations in a plurality of characteristics of the device based on simulation or experimental measurement of respective combinations of processing parameters in a design of experiment (DOE);
• (b) extracting a respective set of device model parameters for each of the combinations of the processing parameters in the DOE;
• (c) fitting a respective polynomial model to each respective set of device model parameters, to form respective equations, each equation outputting a SPICE input parameter;
• (d) selecting a figure-of-merit circuit representative of an integrated circuit into which the device is to be incorporated;
• and
• (e) identifying one of the combinations of processing parameters that satisfies a set of performance specifications for the figure-of-merit circuit, using the polynomial models and SPICE.

A method for designing a device, comprising:

• (a) generating a plurality of equations using a response surface methodology model, each equation relating a respective device simulator input parameter to a respective combination of device characteristics;
• (b) forming a model of a figure-of-merit circuit that is representative of an integrated circuit into which the device is to be incorporated;
• and
• (c) identifying one of the combinations of device characteristics that causes the device to satisfy a set of performance specifications for the figure-of-merit circuit, using the plurality of equations and the device simulator.

A system for selecting a process for forming a device, comprising:

• means for generating a plurality of equations using a response surface methodology model, each equation relating a respective device simulator input parameter to a respective combination of processing parameters that can be used to form the device;
• means for forming a model of a figure-of-merit circuit that is representative of an integrated circuit into which the device is to be incorporated;
• and
• means for identifying one of the combinations of processing parameters that results in causing the device to satisfy a set of performance specifications for the figure-of-merit circuit, using the plurality of equations and the device simulator.

A system for designing a device, comprising:

• means for generating a plurality of equations using a response surface methodology model, each equation relating a respective device simulator input parameter to a respective combination of device characteristics;
• means for forming a model of a figure-of-merit circuit that is representative of an integrated circuit into which the device is to be incorporated;
• and
• means for identifying one of the combinations of device characteristics that satisfies a set of performance specifications for the figure-of-merit circuit, using the plurality of equations and the device simulator.