Abstract – In this paper we describe a novel tool for modeling the fabrication of MEMS and semiconductor devices, and show some examples of its application in the MEMS foundry business. The tool allows an accurate visualization of the step-by step creation of the final 3-D device geometry by using the 2-D layout and a description of the fabrication process. The novelty of the tool lies in its use of voxels (3-D pixels) rather than conventional 3-D CAD techniques to represent the 3-D geometry. The tool creates highly realistic, 3-D virtual prototypes of micro-fabricated devices.
3-D Process Modeling – A Novel and Efficient Tool for MEMS Foundry Design Support.
We describe a software tool for creating highly realistic, 3-D virtual prototypes of MEMS and semiconductor devices, and show how it has been applied to a MEMS SOI micromachining process. Two case studies demonstrate the value of virtual prototypes to a foundry: a 3-D design rule check that revealed a design error before mask tape out, and a process integration analysis that confirmed the suspected cause of a process failure.