TCAD - Sentaurus Interconnect

Tool for stress related reliability analysis of interconnects

Sentaurus Interconnect analyzes stress evolution for the entire fabrication process of interconnects. Sentaurus Interconnect performs 3D backend process simulations using design database and process recipes. With specialized algorithms for fast 3D structure construction, mesh generation and equation solving, Sentaurus Interconnect predicts interconnect stress distributions from multiple stress sources and accounts for proximity effects. Combining the best-in-class capabilities from Synopsys, Sentaurus Interconnect is capable of detecting stress hot spots that are susceptible to debonding, voiding and cracking. It employs a set of physics-based models to evaluate reliability failures.

Sentaurus Interconnect can also assist in channel stress engineering involving global stress sources like tensile and compressive cap layers and layout proximity effects by computing stress enhanced mobility values based on a piezo-resistance model for transistors in the design. This mobility variation can then be visualized using Sentaurus Visual. Using the Sentaurus Workbench user interface, Sentaurus Interconnect can facilitate technology explorations with parameterized input files and scheduled run splits.