ABSTRACT
This chapter provides technology computer-aided design (TCAD) and its application to the development of radio frequency (RF), microwave, and millimeter-wave semiconductor technologies. Most microelectronics companies use commercial software as the foundation of their TCAD capabilities. Commercial TCAD systems also include tool integration utilities that make it convenient to use the core tools in combination, and task integration environments that automate large-scale simulation-based experimentation. The capabilities of TCAD software have been extended to cover a range of different material systems, and to provide convenient RF-oriented analysis capabilities. The existence of high-quality calibration is a prerequisite for using TCAD for certain applications. Calibration attempts to reduce some of the errors associated with simulation. Performing a good calibration takes a lot of effort, but certain applications of TCAD only become viable after a good calibration has been achieved. In order to apply TCAD effectively, users need technical skills that encompass physics, numerical techniques, and the application domain.
