| One of the most important semi-classical methods for semiconductor device simulation is the ensemble Monte Carlo method, which has the flexibility and physical foundation to model new aspects of device behavior. However, with the size reduction of modern semiconductor devices, the inclusion of quantum mechanical effects into device simulation has become essential. A recently developed method for treating quantum mechanical effects, termed the “effective potential,” has been shown to provide an accurate description of electron transport in quantum confined regions. Therefore, this research focuses on the inclusion of quantum mechanics with the effective potential into Monte Carlo simulations of ultra-small devices. Additionally, to treat the short-range interactions between charged particles, a molecular dynamics routine is developed that works in a manner consistent with the Monte Carlo and the effective potential.; The shift in commercial technology towards the use of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures for the construction of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) prompts the examination of various features of these devices with the combined effective potential and Monte Carlo methods. Several aspects of SOI MOSFETs are known to be influential in the device performance, such as discrete dopant ions, silicon layer thickness, and surface roughness. These are known to play a vital role in determining threshold voltage and also affect channel conduction. Additionally, transport phenomenon such as the electron-electron interaction significantly impact the energy distribution in the device. The treatment of these issues requires a method that includes the quantum effects, as well as the ability to resolve short-range interactions. Therefore, these issues are examined by including a molecular dynamics routine into the device simulator, and the role of the quantum mechanical effects on device behavior is emphasized. Finally, the effects of decreasing silicon film thickness are examined, particularly in regards to the quantum confinement in the layer. The boundary between material layers is varied to model the interface roughness, which has an increasing effect on carrier transport as the silicon thickness decreases and the quantum confinement increases. |
