Sentaurus Data Explorerjmbussat/Physics290E/Fall-2006/TCAD_documentati… · SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER CONTENTS iii Sentaurus Data Explorer About this manual

Sentaurus Data ExplorerVersion Y-2006.06, June 2006

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Sentaurus Data Explorer, Y-2006.06

SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER CONTENTS

Sentaurus Data Explorer

About this manual ...............................................................................................................................viiAudience ............................................................................................................................................................ viiRelated publications........................................................................................................................................... viiTypographic conventions .................................................................................................................................. viiiCustomer support.............................................................................................................................................. viii

Chapter 1 Overview...............................................................................................................................1File formats supported .........................................................................................................................................1

Chapter 2 Command-line interface......................................................................................................3Using the command line.......................................................................................................................................3

Available commands ......................................................................................................................................3Parameters and options .................................................................................................................................4

Command-line help ..............................................................................................................................................5Converting file formats .........................................................................................................................................6

Syntax ............................................................................................................................................................6Converting TIF to TDR mixed element...........................................................................................................7Converting TIF to DF–ISE grid and data ........................................................................................................7Converting TDF to TDR mixed element .........................................................................................................8Converting TDF to DF–ISE grid and data ......................................................................................................8Converting TDR mixed element to TIF...........................................................................................................9Converting TDR file to DF–ISE files .............................................................................................................10Converting DF–ISE boundary to TDR boundary ..........................................................................................10Converting DF–ISE grid and data to TDR mixed element............................................................................11Converting DF–ISE plot to TDR xy...............................................................................................................12Converting DF–ISE grid and data to TIF ......................................................................................................12Converting IVL to TDR xy.............................................................................................................................13Converting PLX to TDR xy ...........................................................................................................................13

Utilities................................................................................................................................................................14Mirror commands .........................................................................................................................................14

Mirroring DF–ISE to DF–ISE.................................................................................................................14Mirroring TDR to TDR ...........................................................................................................................15

Chapter 3 Tcl interface........................................................................................................................17Using the Tcl interface .......................................................................................................................................17

Help ..............................................................................................................................................................17Tcl commands....................................................................................................................................................18

tdx_clear.......................................................................................................................................................19tdx_close ......................................................................................................................................................19tdx_convert...................................................................................................................................................20tdx_get..........................................................................................................................................................20tdx_help........................................................................................................................................................20tdx_infomsg ..................................................................................................................................................21tdx_list ..........................................................................................................................................................21tdx_load........................................................................................................................................................22tdx_mirror .....................................................................................................................................................22tdx_plot.........................................................................................................................................................22tdx_save .......................................................................................................................................................24tdx_saveAs...................................................................................................................................................24tdx_select .....................................................................................................................................................25

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERCONTENTS

tdx_set..........................................................................................................................................................26tdx_unselect .................................................................................................................................................27

Chapter 4 Graphical user interface....................................................................................................29Opening the graphical user interface .................................................................................................................29Main window ......................................................................................................................................................29

Menu bar ......................................................................................................................................................30Toolbar .........................................................................................................................................................30Tree pane .....................................................................................................................................................30List pane.......................................................................................................................................................31Data pane.....................................................................................................................................................32

Keyboard navigation ..........................................................................................................................................32File operations....................................................................................................................................................33

Opening files ................................................................................................................................................33Saving files ...................................................................................................................................................33Saving files using a different name or format ...............................................................................................34Reloading files..............................................................................................................................................34Closing files ..................................................................................................................................................34Editing operations.........................................................................................................................................35Modifying objects..........................................................................................................................................35Renaming objects.........................................................................................................................................35Deleting objects............................................................................................................................................36

Converting input files..........................................................................................................................................36Converting output files .......................................................................................................................................37

Chapter 5 Reference guide.................................................................................................................39Environment variables and configuration files....................................................................................................39Supported conversions ......................................................................................................................................39TDF-to-TDR conversions ...................................................................................................................................40

TDF format constraints.................................................................................................................................40Material names.............................................................................................................................................40Quantity names ............................................................................................................................................40Conversion factor .........................................................................................................................................41Ignoring unknown quantities.........................................................................................................................41Electrodes and thermodes ...........................................................................................................................41Volume regions with material electrode or thermode ...................................................................................41Removing ambient regions...........................................................................................................................42Interface regions...........................................................................................................................................42Inconsistent faces.........................................................................................................................................42Splitting rectangles .......................................................................................................................................43Extracting boundaries...................................................................................................................................43

TIF-to-TDR conversions.....................................................................................................................................44Material and quantity names ........................................................................................................................44Removing contact regions............................................................................................................................44Missing ambient regions...............................................................................................................................44

TDR-to-TIF conversions.....................................................................................................................................44Material and quantity names ........................................................................................................................44Contacts .......................................................................................................................................................44Interface regions...........................................................................................................................................45Region names ..............................................................................................................................................45

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER CONTENTS

Mirroring .............................................................................................................................................................45Number of regions........................................................................................................................................45Naming regions ............................................................................................................................................45Vector datasets ............................................................................................................................................45

Appendix A Structure of TDR.............................................................................................................47Geometries.........................................................................................................................................................48Regions ..............................................................................................................................................................49Parts...................................................................................................................................................................49Elements ............................................................................................................................................................49States .................................................................................................................................................................50Datasets .............................................................................................................................................................50xy data................................................................................................................................................................51

Glossary ...............................................................................................................................................53

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERCONTENTS

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER ABOUT THIS MANUAL


About this manual

This manual describes the operation of Sentaurus Data Explorer. It is an application that can visualizeand explore the complex data produced as output files from simulation processes. With Sentaurus DataExplorer, users can convert these files to a format named TDR, and view and edit these files. The mainfeatures of the Sentaurus Data Explorer include:

Command-line options to convert files to different formats.

Command-line options to create symmetric structures.

Tcl interface to enable the full flexibility of Tcl for writing and using scripts.

Graphical user interface with functionality that simplifies browsing, editing, and converting TDRfiles.

Reading files in DF–ISE, IVL, PLX, TDF, TDR, and TIF formats.

Writing files in DF–ISE, TDR, and TIF formats.

The main chapters are:

Chapter 1 is an overview of Sentaurus Data Explorer.

Chapter 2 is an operation guide to the command-line interface of Sentaurus Data Explorer.

Chapter 3 is an operation guide to the Tcl interface of Sentaurus Data Explorer.

Chapter 4 is an operation guide to the graphical user interface of Sentaurus Data Explorer.

Chapter 5 provides reference material.

AudienceThe intended users of Sentaurus Data Explorer are engineers who would benefit from a better and easierhandling of data from other processes, producing files in different formats.

Related publicationsFor additional information about Sentaurus Data Explorer, see:

The Sentaurus Data Explorer release notes, available on SolvNet (see Accessing SolvNet onpage viii).

Documentation on the Web, which is available through SolvNet athttps://solvnet.synopsys.com/DocsOnWeb.

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERABOUT THIS MANUAL

Synopsys Online Documentation (SOLD), which is included with the software for CD users or isavailable to download through the Synopsys Electronic Software Transfer (EST) system.

Typographic conventions

Customer supportCustomer support is available through SolvNet online customer support and through contacting theSynopsys Technical Support Center.

Accessing SolvNet

SolvNet includes an electronic knowledge base of technical articles and answers to frequently askedquestions about Synopsys tools. SolvNet also gives you access to a wide range of Synopsys onlineservices including software downloads, documentation on the Web, and “Enter a Call to the SupportCenter.”

To access SolvNet:

1. Go to the SolvNet Web page at http://solvnet.synopsys.com.

2. If prompted, enter your user name and password. (If you do not have a Synopsys user name andpassword, follow the instructions to register with SolvNet.)

If you need help using SolvNet, click HELP in the top-right menu bar or in the footer.

Convention Explanation

< > Angle brackets

{ } Braces

[ ] Brackets

( ) Parentheses

Blue text Identifies a cross-reference (only on the screen).

Bold text Identifies a selectable icon, button, menu, or tab. It also indicates the name of a field, window, dialog box, or panel.

Courier font Identifies text that is displayed on the screen or that the user must type. It identifies the names of files, directories, paths, parameters, keywords, and variables.

Italicized text Used for emphasis, the titles of books and journals, and non-English words. It also identifies components of an equation or a formula, a placeholder, or an identifier.

NOTE Identifies important information.

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER ABOUT THIS MANUAL

Contacting the Synopsys Technical Support Center

If you have problems, questions, or suggestions, you can contact the Synopsys Technical Support Centerin the following ways:

Open a call to your local support center from the Web by going to http://solvnet.synopsys.com(Synopsys user name and password required), then clicking “Enter a Call to the Support Center.”

Send an e-mail message to your local support center:

• E-mail [email protected] from within North America.

• Find other local support center e-mail addresses at http://www.synopsys.com/support/support_ctr.

Telephone your local support center:

• Call (800) 245-8005 from within the continental United States.

• Call (650) 584-4200 from Canada.

• Find other local support center telephone numbers at http://www.synopsys.com/support/support_ctr.

Contacting your local TCAD Support Team directly

Send an e-mail message to:

[email protected] from within North America and South America.

[email protected] from within Europe.

[email protected] from within Asia Pacific (China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia,India, Australia).

[email protected] from Korea.

[email protected] from Japan.

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERABOUT THIS MANUAL

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW


CHAPTER 1 Overview

Sentaurus Data Explorer is a tool for converting, viewing, and editing TDR files.

The TDR file format was designed to replace the DF–ISE format. The TDR format is a binary formatand cannot be read directly by an editor. Therefore, it was necessary to develop a tool to visualize TDRfiles. For compatibility with different applications and tools, it is sometimes necessary to have thecapability to convert different file formats from and to the TDR format. Sentaurus Data Explorer allowsusers to convert formats as required.

Sentaurus Data Explorer has three distinct and different modes of operation: the command-lineinterface, the Tcl interface, and the graphical user interface.

With the command-line interface, users can apply simple commands to convert files to different formats,and to create new files by copying and modifying files. This mode is most convenient when convertingmany files at the same time, using a batch file or script, and then continuing to work with these files inother tools.

The Tcl interface allows users to utilize the full flexibility of Tcl for writing and using scripts.

The graphical user interface is more convenient if you want to view, edit, or convert only a few files orto obtain a general view of the structure of a TDR file.

NOTE In this release of Sentaurus Data Explorer, the command-line interface and Tcl interface arefully operational. The graphical user interface is still under development.

File formats supportedSentaurus Data Explorer converts different file formats. For all conversions, the internal representationuses the TDR format. The possible input file formats are:

DF–ISE (.grd, .dat, .bnd, .plt)

IVL

PLX

TDF

TDR

TIF

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERCHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW

The possible output file formats are:

DF–ISE (.grd, .dat, .bnd, .plt)

TDR

TIF

For detailed information about supported file formats, see Converting file formats on page 6 andSupported conversions on page 39.

Refer to the Glossary on page 53 for an explanation of terms used in this manual.

NOTE Sentaurus Data Explorer provides functionality for converting data between different fileformats. However, it does not support extraction of DF–ISE boundaries from DF–ISE gridsand TDR mixed-element grids. This extraction is provided by Mesh.

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER CHAPTER 2 COMMAND-LINE INTERFACE


CHAPTER 2 Command-line interface

A subset of the commands available in the graphical user interface (GUI) can be invoked from thecommand-line interface, which is used to convert files from one format to another, and to create newfiles based on existing files without using the GUI.

Using the command lineTo use the command-line interface of Sentaurus Data Explorer, users must specify exactly one of thecommands together with its arguments on the command line:

tdx -short_command [options] argument [arguments]

or:

tdx --long_command [options] argument [arguments]

The available commands and options are described in this chapter. Each command or option has a shortand a long form, which start with one and two dashes, respectively. Writing commands with the shortform is quick and easy for direct input on the command line.

In contrast, the long form of the commands is self evident. This form should always be used whenwriting scripts and batch files.

Refer to the Glossary on page 53 for an explanation of terms used in this manual.

Available commandsTable 1 lists the short and long forms of all commands that are available for the command-line interface.

Table 1 Short and long forms of commands

Short form Long form Description

-f --tif2tdr Converts TIF file to TDR mixed-element file.

-fd --tif2dfise Converts TIF file to DF–ISE grid and data files.

-t --tdf2tdr Converts TDF file to TDR mixed-element file.

-td --tdf2dfise Converts TDF file to DF–ISE grid and data files.

-tf --tdr2tif Converts TDR mixed element to TIF file.

-dd --tdr2dfise Converts TDR file to DF–ISE files.

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERCHAPTER 2 COMMAND-LINE INTERFACE

Parameters and optionsTable 2 lists all available options for commands with their type, default value, and description.

-d --dfise2tdr Converts DF–ISE grid file only, or a grid file with one, two, or three data files, or a boundary file only, or a plot file only to TDR format.

-df --dfise2tif Converts DF–ISE grid and data files to TIF file.

-i --ivl2tdr Converts IVL file to TDR xy file.

-p --plx2tdr Converts PLX file to TDR xy plot file.

-mdd --mirr-dfise Mirrors the geometry of a DF–ISE file and saves the result to another DF–ISE file.

-mtt --mirr-tdr Mirrors TDR geometry and saves the result to another TDR file.

Table 2 Command options for command-line interface

Parameter/Option Type Default Description

Short form Long form

-a --ignore-ambient-regions Boolean false Do not convert regions for which the material is ambient.

-c --ignore-conductor-regions Boolean false Do not convert regions for which the material or parent material is conductor.

-m --geometry-name String "" TDR geometry name.

-M --geometry-index Integer -1 TDR geometry index.

-q --ignore-nondatex-quantities Boolean false Do not convert fields for which there is no DATEX quantity name in the sol.db file.

-r --split-rectangles Boolean false For a 2D geometry, split rectangles into triangles.

-ren --rename String "" Rename a region or regions.

-s --state-name String "" TDR state name.

-S --state-index Integer -1 TDR state index.

-w --do-not-swap-3d-coord Boolean false Do not swap 3D coordinates.

-x --xmin Boolean false Mirror at xmin.

-X --xmax Boolean false Mirror at xmax.

Table 1 Short and long forms of commands

Short form Long form Description

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Command-line helpWhen the command-line option -h or --help is used, the following text is displayed, which shows asummary of the different commands, and their options and arguments:

Usage: Batch mode |Parameter |Source |Destination |Description (-/-- command) |(-param) |(*Base |(*Base Name) | -short|--long | | Name) |[] Optional | ______|__________|___________|_________|_____________|__________________ Convert: fd tif2dfise a,c,q,r *<TIF> [*<DF-ISE>] TIF to DF-ISE file f tif2tdr a,c,q,r *<TIF> [*<TDR>] TIF to TDR file td tdf2dfise a,c,q,r,w *<TDF> [*<DF-ISE>] TDF to DF-ISE file t tdf2tdr a,c,q,r,w *<TDF> [*<TDR>] TDF to TDR file tf tdr2tif m,M,s,S *<TDR> [*<TIF>] TDR to TIF file dd tdr2dfise m,M,s,S *<TDR> [*<GRD>] TDR to DF-ISE file df dfise2tif <DF-ISE> [*<TIF>] DF-ISE to TIF file d dfise2tdr <DF-ISE> [*<TDR>] DF-ISE to TDR file d dfise2tdr <GRD> [*<TDR>] with Gridfile and [<DAT>] 1 to 3 Datfiles d dfise2tdr <BND> [*<TDR>] or Boundaryfile d dfise2tdr <PLT> [*<TDR>] or Plotfile i ivl2tdr *<IVL> [*<TDR>] IVL to TDR file p plx2tdr *<PLX> [*<TDR>] PLX to TDR file

Mirror: mtt mirr-tdr *<TDR> *<TDR> Mirror TDR to TDR mdd mirr-dfise *<DF-ISE> *<DF-ISE> DF-ISE to DF-ISE m,M,s,S Mirror name,index x,X,y,Y,z,Z Mirror at x,y,z ren reg=new/... Rename region(s) reg to new name

The first and second columns contain the short and long names of all available commands. The thirdcolumn lists the parameters of the commands. Optional parameters are enclosed in brackets. The sourceand destination columns indicate the file format of the input and output files, respectively.

-xy --xy-name String "" TDR xy plot name.

-XY --xy-index Integer -1 TDR xy plot index.

-y --ymin Boolean false Mirror at ymin.

-Y --ymax Boolean false Mirror at ymax.

-z --zmin Boolean false Mirror at zmin.

-Z --zmax Boolean false Mirror at zmax.

Table 2 Command options for command-line interface

Parameter/Option Type Default Description

Short form Long form

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For many commands, the destination is optional. If the destination is not specified, the name of theoutput file is constructed from the base name of the input file and the extension appropriate for the typeof output file.

The base name consists of all characters in a file name up to (but not including) the last '.' character.Using the base name is possible for all entries in the source and destination columns marked with anasterisk.

Converting file formatsThe following sections provide a detailed description of all conversions available using the command-line interface. The conversions are presented in the following order:

TIF to TDR and DF–ISE

TDF to TDR and DF–ISE

TDR to TIF and DF–ISE

DF–ISE to TDR and TIF

IVL to TDR

PLX to TDR

For detailed information about the effects of different conversion options, see Supported conversions onpage 39 to TDR-to-TIF conversions on page 44.

SyntaxThe following special characters are used in the syntax descriptions: angle brackets < >, brackets [ ],parentheses ( ), and vertical bar |. These characters are only used in the syntax description and are notpart of the actual input.

A lowercase letter in angle brackets represents a value of a given type that must be substituted by theuser:

<n> numeric value<s> string value

For example:

--geometry-name <s> --state-index <n>

indicates that a string value must be specified following the command-line option --geometry-name and anumeric value must be specified following the option --state-index.

Brackets enclose optional command-line arguments and parameters.

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Parentheses are used to indicate the grouping of command-line options and their arguments.

The vertical bar is used to separate entries in a list from which exactly one entry must be specified.

In the following sections, the syntax of each command is described twice. First using only the short formand then using only the long form. Of course, it is possible to use a combination of long and short forms.

Converting TIF to TDR mixed element

Syntaxtdx -f [-a] [-c] [-q] [-r] tif_source_base_name [tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx --tif2tdr [--ignore-ambient-regions] [--ignore-conductor-regions] \[--ignore-nondatex-quantities] [--split-rectangles] tif_source_base_name \[tdr_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -f tif_file.tif tdr_file

Input: tif_file.tif

Output: tdr_file.tdr

2. tdx --tif2tdr tif_file.tif tdr_file

Input: tif_file.tif


3. tdx --tif2tdr tif_file

Input: tif_file.tif

Output: tif_file.tdr

Converting TIF to DF–ISE grid and data

Syntaxtdx -fd [-a] [-c] [-q] [-r] tif_source_base_name [dfise_destination_base_name]

tdx --tif2dfise [--ignore-ambient-regions] [--ignore-conductor-regions] \[--ignore-nondatex-quantities] [--split-rectangles] tif_source_base_name \[dfise_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -fd tif_file.tif dfise_file

Input: tif_file.tif

Output: dfise_file.grd, dfise_file.dat

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2. tdx --tif2dfise tif_file.tif dfise_file

Input: tif_file.tif


3. tdx --tif2dfise tif_file

Input: tif_file.tif

Output: tif_file.grd, tif_file.dat

Converting TDF to TDR mixed element

Syntaxtdx -t [-a] [-c] [-q] [-r] [-w] tdf_source_base_name [tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx --tdf2tdr [--ignore-ambient-regions] [--ignore-conductor-regions] \[--ignore-nondatex-quantities] [--split-rectangles] [--do-not-swap-3d-coord] \tdf_source_base_name [tdr_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -t tdf_file.tdf tdr_file

Input: tdf_file.tdf


2. tdx --tdf2tdr tdf_file.tdf tdr_file

Input: tdf_file.tdf


3. tdx --tdf2tdr tdf_file

Input: tdf_file.tdf

Output: tdf_file.tdr

Converting TDF to DF–ISE grid and data

Syntaxtdx -td [-a] [-c] [-q] [-r] [-w] tdf_source_base_name [dfise_destination_base_name]

tdx --tdf2dfise [--ignore-ambient-regions] [--ignore-conductor-regions] \[--ignore-nondatex-quantities] [--split-rectangles] [--do-not-swap-3d-coord] \tdf_source_base_name [dfise_destination_base_name]

8


Examples

1. tdx -td tdf_file.tdf dfise_file

Input: tdf_file.tdf


2. tdx --tdf2dfise tdf_file.tdf dfise_file

Input: tdf_file.tdf


3. tdx --tdf2dfise tdf_file

Input: tdf_file.tdf

Output: tdf_file.grd, tdf_file.dat

Converting TDR mixed element to TIF

Syntaxtdx -tf (-m <s>)|(-M <n>) [(-s <s>)|(-S <n>)] tdr_source_base_name [tif_destination_base_name]

tdx --tdr2tif (--geometry-name <s>)|(--geometry-index <n>) \[(--state-name <s>)|(--state-index <n>)] tdr_source_base_name [tif_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -tf -M 0 tdr_file.tdr tif_file

Input: tdr_file.tdr

Output: tif_file.tif

2. tdx --tdr2tif -M 0 tdr_file.tdr tif_file

Input: tdr_file.tdr


3. tdx --tdr2tif -M 0 tdr_file

Input: tdr_file.tdr

Output: tdr_file.tif

9


Converting TDR file to DF–ISE files

Syntaxtdx -dd (-m <s>)|(-M <n>) [(-s <s>)|(-S <n>)] tdr_source_base_name [dfise-destination_base_name]

tdx --tdr2dfise (--geometry-name <s>)|(--geometry-index <n>) \[(--state-name <s>)|(--state-index <n>)] tdr_source_base_name [dfise-destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -dd -M 0 -S 0 tdr_file.tdr dfise_file

Input: tdr_file.tdr

Output: dfise_file.grd, dfise_file.dat using geometry with index 0 and state with index 0

2. tdx --tdr2dfise -M 0 -S 0 tdr_file.tdr dfise_file

Input: tdr_file.tdr

Output: dfise_file.grd, dfise_file.dat using geometry with index 0 and state with index 0

3. tdx --tdr2dfise -m geometry_0 -s state_0 tdr_file.tdr dfise_file

Input: tdr_file.tdr

Output: dfise_file.grd, dfise_file.dat using geometry with name geometry_0 and state withname state_0

Converting DF–ISE boundary to TDR boundary

Syntaxtdx -d dfise_source_bnd [tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_source_bnd [tdr_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -d dfise_file.bnd tdr_file

Input: dfise_file.bnd


2. tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_file.bnd tdr_file

Input: dfise_file.bnd


10


Converting DF–ISE grid and data to TDR mixed element

Syntaxtdx -d dfise_source_grd [dfise_source1_dat [dfise_source2_dat [dfise_source3_dat]]] \

[tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx -d dfise_source_bnd [tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx -d dfise_source_plt [tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_source_grd [dfise_source1_dat [dfise_source2_dat [dfise_source3_dat]]] \[tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_source_bnd [tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_source_plt [tdr_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -d dfise_file.grd tdr_file

Input: dfise_file.grd


2. tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_file.grd tdr_file

Input: dfise_file.grd


3. tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_file.grd dfise_file.dat tdr_file

Input: dfise_file.grd, dfise_file.dat


4. tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_file.grd dfise_dat_file_1.dat dfise_dat_file_2.dat tdr_file

Input: dfise_file.grd, dfise_dat_file_1.dat dfise_dat_file_2.dat


5. tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_file.plt tdr_file

Input: dfise_file.plt


11


Converting DF–ISE plot to TDR xy

Syntaxtdx -d dfise_source_plt [tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_source_plt [tdr_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -d dfise_file.plt tdr_file



2. tdx --dfise2tdr dfise_file.plt tdr_file



Converting DF–ISE grid and data to TIF

Syntaxtdx -df dfise_source_grd [dfise_source_dat] [tif_destination_base_name]

tdx --dfise2tif dfise_source_grd [dfise_source_dat] [tif_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -df dfise_file.grd dfise_file.dat tif_file



2. tdx --dfise2tif dfise_file.grd dfise_file.dat tif_file



12


Converting IVL to TDR xy

Syntaxtdx -i ivl_source_base_name [tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx --ivl2tdr ivl_source_base_name [tdr_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -i ivl_file tdr_file

Input: ivl_file.ivl


2. tdx --ivl2tdr ivl_file tdr_file

Input: ivl_file.ivl


3. tdx --ivl2tdr ivl_file

Input: ivl_file.ivl

Output: ivl_file.tdr

Converting PLX to TDR xy

Syntaxtdx -p plx_source_base_name [tdr_destination_base_name]

tdx --plx2tdr plx_source_base_name [tdr_destination_base_name]

Examples

1. tdx -p plx_file tdr_file

Input: plx_file.ivl


2. tdx --plx2tdr plx_file tdr_file

Input: plx_file.ivl


3. tdx --plx2tdr plx_file

Input: plx_file.ivl

Output: plx_file.tdr

13


UtilitiesThe utilities of the command-line interface are used to create new files from existing files, and are areplacement for DFISETOOLS.

Mirror commandsThe mirror commands create a symmetric geometry by mirroring the input geometry around ahyperplane (point, line, and plane for 1D, 2D, and 3D geometries, respectively), which is perpendicularto one of the coordinate axes. The location of the hyperplane can be chosen to be the minimum ormaximum coordinate of the input geometry in the coordinate direction perpendicular to the hyperplane.

By default, the name of the mirrored region is the name of the original region with the suffix _mirrored.Using the option -ren, it is possible to specify new names for the mirrored regions.

Mirroring DF–ISE to DF–ISE

Syntaxtdx -mdd -x|-X|-y|-Y|-z|-Z [-ren orig_reg_name_1=new_reg_name_1[/...]] dfise_source_base_name \

dfise_destination_base_name

tdx --mirr-dfise --xmin|--xmax|--ymin|--ymax|--zmin|--zmax \[--rename orig_reg_name_1=new_reg_name_1[/...]] dfise_source_base_name \dfise_destination_base_name

Examples

1. tdx -mdd -y dfise_file dfise_mirr


Output: dfise_mirr.grd, dfise_mirr.dat

Table 3 Mirror options

Option Hyperplane perpendicular to Located at

-x x-axis Minimum x-coordinate

-X x-axis Maximum x-coordinate

-y y-axis Minimum y-coordinate

-Y y-axis Maximum y-coordinate

-z z-axis Minimum z-coordinate

-Z z-axis Maximum z-coordinate

14


2. tdx --mirr-dfise -y dfise_file dfise_mirr



3. tdx --mirr-dfise -y -ren silicon=silicon_mir dfise_file dfise_mirr



The region with the default name silicon_mirrored will be renamed silicon_mir.

Mirroring TDR to TDR

Syntaxtdx -mtt -x|-X|-y|-Y|-z|-Z [-ren orig_reg_name_1=new_reg_name_1[/...]] tdr_source_base_name \

tdr_destination_base_name

tdx --mirr-tdr --xmin|--xmax|--ymin|--ymax|--zmin|--zmax \[--rename orig_reg_name_1=new_reg_name_1[/...]] tdr_source_base_name tdr_destination_base_name

Examples

1. tdx -mtt -y tdr_file.tdr tdr_dfise_mirr

Input: tdr_file.tdr

Output: tdr_dfise_mirr.grd, tdr_dfise_mirr.dat

2. tdx --mirr-tdr -y tdr_file.tdr tdr_dfise_mirr

Input: tdr_file.tdr

Output: tdr_dfise_mirr.grd, tdr_dfise_mirr.dat

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16

SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER CHAPTER 3 TCL INTERFACE


CHAPTER 3 Tcl interface

The Tcl interface of Sentaurus Data Explorer is based on the tool command language (Tcl). An inputscript of Sentaurus Data Explorer is actually a Tcl script and, therefore, enables the full flexibility of Tcl.

Users can write and use scripts, giving them the ability to perform tasks more efficiently. The Tclinterface gives users the ability to execute commands of Sentaurus Data Explorer in batch mode.

The command syntax is simple and easy to use. With a few commands, you can list and modify the dataof a TDR file.

The available Tcl commands are described here.

Using the Tcl interfaceTo use the Tcl interface of Sentaurus Data Explorer, users must specify the following command togetherwith its arguments on the command line:

tdx -tcl [option] [Tcl-script-file] [Tcl-script]

Some examples are:

1. tdx -tcl tdx_help Starts the Tcl interface of Sentaurus Data Explorer and displays the help page.

2. tdx -tcl "tdx_load *.tdr; tdx_list files" Loads and lists all TDR files in the current directory.

3. tdx -tcl tcl_script_file.tcl Loads and executes the Tcl script file tcl_script_file.tcl in the current directory.

HelpWhen the option -h or --help is used, a text page is displayed, which summarizes the different commandsand their options.

17

SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERCHAPTER 3 TCL INTERFACE

Tcl commandsTable 4 lists all the commands that are available for the Tcl interface in Sentaurus Data Explorer.

Table 4 Commands for Tcl interface

Command Options Description

tdx_clear selection Resets all previous selections.

tdx_close Closes the current file.

tdx_close all Closes all files without saving any modifications.

tdx_close <filename> Closes the specified file without saving any modifications.

tdx_convert <convert-command> Converts files of different formats. For the syntax of the option convert-command, see Converting file formats on page 6.

tdx_get <Tcl-Var> = <item> Assigns the value of <item> to the Tcl variable <Tcl-Var>.

tdx_help Shows the help page of the Tcl interface.

tdx_help item-names Shows information about item-names.

tdx_infomsg <message> Outputs the message <message>.

tdx_infomsg on | off Switches on or off messages.

tdx_list <object> Lists data for the <object> of all loaded files.

tdx_list selected <object> Lists data for the selected <object> of all loaded files.

tdx_list commands Lists the last commands.

tdx_load <filename> Loads the specified file.

tdx_mirror <mirror-command> Mirrors geometry and saves the result to another file. For the syntax of the option mirror-command, see Mirror commands on page 14.

tdx_plot (<a>) () Creates a 1D plot from a 2D mixed-element grid.

tdx_plot (<a>) () () Creates a 1D plot from a 3D mixed-element grid.

tdx_save Saves the currently selected file.

tdx_save all Saves all modified files.

tdx_save <filename> Saves the specified file.

tdx_saveAs <filename> Saves the currently selected file with the name <filename> and closes the file.

18


The following sections provide a detailed description of all commands available using the Tcl interface.The commands are presented alphabetically.

tdx_clear

Syntaxtdx_clear [selection]

The tdx_clear command clears all previous selections.

Exampletdx_clear selection

This example clears all selections previously made.

tdx_close

Syntax1. tdx_close [all]

2. tdx_close <filename>

In the first form, this command closes the selected file or files without saving any modifications. If nooption is selected, the command closes the currently selected file. Using the option all closes allpreviously loaded files.

In the second form, the command closes the specified file.

Exampletdx_close

This example closes the currently selected file.

tdx_select <object> <where_clause>

Selects object where <item>=<value>.

tdx_set <item>=<value> Modifies the item of the selected object.

tdx_unselect <where_clause> Resets the previous selection.

Table 4 Commands for Tcl interface

Command Options Description

19


tdx_convertTo convert a file from one format to another, use the tdx_convert command. The syntax for this commandis the same as for the corresponding command that is available from the command-line interface (seeConverting file formats on page 6).

Syntaxtdx_convert <convert-command> [parameter] <source-file> [<destination-file>]

Exampletdx_convert --tif2tdr $source_path/tif_file.tif $dest_path/tdr_from_tif.tdr

This example converts the file in TIF format $source_path/tif_file.tif to the file in TDR format$dest_path/tdr_from_tif.tdr.

tdx_get

Syntaxtdx_get <Tcl-Var>=<item>

This command assigns the value of <item> to the Tcl variable <Tcl-Var>. For valid item names, refer toTable 5 on page 25.

Exampletdx_select file where name = $fn and geometry where name = geometry_01tdx_get tclVar_Type = typeputs $tclVar_Type

This example assigns the value of the item type of the selected object geometry to the Tcl variabletclVar_Type.

tdx_help

Syntaxtdx_help

When the command tdx_help is used, a text page is displayed, which summarizes the differentcommands and their options.

20


tdx_infomsg

Syntax1. tdx_infomsg [on | off]

2. tdx_infomsg <message>

The Tcl interface of Sentaurus Data Explorer prints many messages to standard output. With the firstform of the command, users can switch on or off these messages. With the second form, users can addtheir own messages to print to standard output.

Exampletdx_infomsg ontdx_infomsg "this is my own text"

This example switches on the messages and outputs the text "this is my own text".

tdx_list

Syntax Itdx_list [selected] <object>

This command lists the most important data for the object or objects of all loaded files. Using thiscommand with the option selected lists the most important data for previously selected objects.

Exampletdx_list selected geometry

This example lists data for all previous selected geometries.

Syntax IItdx_list commands

This command lists all commands previously used.

21


tdx_load

Syntaxtdx_load <filename> [<filename> ...]

This command loads the specified files in TDR format. The wildcard character ‘*’ can be used in filenames.

Exampletdx_load *.tdr

This example loads all files with the extension .tdr.

tdx_mirrorTo mirror a file, use the tdx_mirror command. The syntax for this command is the same as for thecorresponding command that is available from the command-line interface (see Mirror commands onpage 14).

Syntaxtdx_mirror <mirror-command> [parameter] <source-file> [<destination-file>]

Exampletdx_mirror --mirr-tdr -y -s state_0 source_file.tdr dest_file_mirr.tdr

This example mirrors the geometry of the TDR file source_file.tdr and saves the result to the TDR filedest_file_mirr.tdr.

tdx_plotThis command creates a 1D plot from 2D and 3D mixed-element grids and interpolates the associateddata. For each plot, users must first identify the geometry using the tdx_select command.

Syntax Itdx_plot (<a>) ()

This command creates a 1D plot from a 2D mixed-element grid. The plot intersects the 2D grid with thesegment starting from a and ending at b.

22


To determine the intersections for 2D grids, the plot segment is tested against edges. In the followingcases, an intersection is detected if:

The plot segment intersects the interior of an edge.

The plot segment intersects at a vertex of an edge and the other vertex of the edge lies to the left ofthe plot segment.

Exampletdx_select file where name = $fn and geometry where name = geometry_01tdx_plot (0,1) (2,2)

This example selects a geometry geometry_01 in the TDR file $fn and creates a 1D plot with the namegeometry_01_plot.

Syntax IItdx_plot (<a>) () ()

This command creates a 1D plot from a 3D mixed-element grid. The plot intersects the 3D grid with thesegment starting from a and ending at b. The point p is used to determine uniquely the intersected elementface in ambiguous cases, such as when the plot segment passes along an edge or intersects an edge or avertex of the grid.

To determine the intersections for 3D grids, the plot segment is tested against triangular faces(rectangular faces are split). In the following cases, an intersection is detected if:

The plot segment intersects the interior of a face.

The plot segment intersects at a vertex of the face, and the half plane defined by the plot segmentand the point p intersects the opposite edge.

The plot segment intersects at a vertex of the face, and the second vertex lies in the half planedefined by the plot segment and the point p, and the third vertex lies above (direction of normal ofabp) the half plane.

The plot segment intersects the interior of a face edge, and the half plane defined by the plot segmentand the point p intersects one of the other edges in its interior.

The plot segment intersects the interior of a face edge, and the vertex opposite the intersected edgelies in the half plane defined by the plot segment.

The plot segment intersects the interior of a face edge, the edge lies in the half plane defined by theplot segment and the point p, and the face vertex opposite the intersected edge lies above the halfplane.

The coordinates of the vertices in the output grid are determined by the distance of the intersection tothe start of the plot segment.

NOTE Currently, only vertex-located scalar datasets of value type double are supported.

23


Exampleset fn $path/1.tdrset nm geometry_0tdx_select file where name = $fn and geometry where name = $nmtdx_plot (8.13677,20,7.11812) (0,6.40779,17.7195) (0,6.49619,5.15051)set fn1 $path/1_plot.tdrtdx_saveAs $fn1

This example selects a geometry geometry_0 in the TDR file $path/1.tdr, creates a 1D plot with the namegeometry_0_plot, and saves the file with the name $path/1_plot.tdr.

tdx_save

Syntax1. tdx_save [all]

2. tdx_save <filename>

In the first form, this command saves either the currently selected file or all files if the option all isspecified. The second form saves the specified file.

Exampletdx_load *.tdrtdx_select file where name = test_file.tdr and geometry where name = geometry_01tdx_set name = geometry_01_modifytdx_save test_file.tdr

This example selects the file test_file.tdr, modifies the name of the geometry, and saves the modifiedfile.

tdx_saveAs

Syntaxtdx_saveAs <filename>

This command saves the currently selected file with the name <filename> and closes the file.

Exampletdx_load *.tdrtdx_select file where name = test_file.tdr and geometry where name = geometry_01tdx_set name = geometry_01_modifytdx_saveAs test_file_new.tdr

24


This example selects the file test_file.tdr, modifies the name of the geometry, and saves the modifiedfile with the name test_file_new.tdr.

tdx_selectThe tdx_select command selects objects according to specified criteria and adds them to the currentselection. Many other commands operate on the current selection.

Syntaxtdx_select <object> <where_clause> [and <object> <where_clause>] ...

The where_clause consists of the keyword where followed by a logical expression.

Syntax for the where_clausewhere <item> operator <value>

The possible objects and the corresponding item names and operators are listed in the following tables.

Table 5 Objects and their appropriate item names

Object Item names

dataset name, index, unit, quantity, location_type, structure_type, value_type, number_values, value

file name, number_geometry

geometry name, index, dimension, type, number_regions, number_states

part index, number_elements, number_vertices

region name, index, dimension, type, material, number_parts, number_elements, number_vertices

state name, index, number_datasets

transformation type, transformation_matrix, transformation_vector

Table 6 Operators used in where_clause

Operator Description

= Equal

<> , != Not equal

> Greater than

< Less than

>= Greater than or equal to

<= Less than or equal to

25


Examplestdx_select file where name = tdr_file.tdr and geometry where dim = 2

This example selects all two-dimensional geometries of the file tdr_file.tdr.

tdx_select geometry where dim >= 2

This example selects all geometries with dimensions greater than or equal to 2.

tdx_set

Syntaxtdx_set <item> = <value>

The tdx_set command is used to modify the specified item of the currently selected object.

For each modification, users must first identify the object using the tdx_select command. Only the itemof the last selection will be modified.

Table 7 lists which items can be modified in a specific object.

Exampletdx_load *.tdrtdx_select file where name = 2dbound.tdr and geometry where name = geometry_01tdx_set name = geometry_01_modtdx_saveAs 2dbound_01.tdr

This example selects the file 2dbound.tdr, modifies the name of the geometry from geometry_01 togeometry_01_mod using the tdx_set command, and saves the modified file with the name 2dbound_01.tdr.

Table 7 Modifiable items

Item Supported objects

material bulk region

name dataset, geometry, region, state

quantity dataset

transform_matrix transformation

transform_vector transformation

value dataset

26


tdx_unselect

Syntaxtdx_unselect <object> <where_clause>

The tdx_unselect command resets a previously made selection.

Exampletdx_select file where name = tdr_file.tdr and geometry where dim = 2tdx_unselect file where name = tdr_file.tdr and geometry where dim = 2

In this example, the command tdx_unselect unselects the above selection.

27


28

SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER CHAPTER 4 GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE


CHAPTER 4 Graphical user interface

Sentaurus Data Explorer provides a graphical user interface (GUI) to view and edit the contents of aTDR file. Many functions can be invoked by keyboard navigation and objects can be selected by thearrow keys. Additional information is provided in the status bar and when the pointer rests on an icon.

Opening the graphical user interfaceTo open the GUI of Sentaurus Data Explorer, use the command tdx without command-line options andan optional list of input files:

tdx [file...]

Main windowThe main window of the GUI consists of five components: menu bar, toolbar, tree pane, list pane, anddata pane (see Figure 1). After a file is opened, the structure of the file is displayed in the tree pane.Selecting an object displays the content in the corresponding data pane.

Figure 1 Main window of graphical user interface

Menu Bar

Toolbar

List Pane

Tree Pane

Data Pane

Status Bar

29

SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERCHAPTER 4 GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

Menu barThe menu bar has two menus: File and Help. Most functions available in the menus are also availableby using keyboard navigation (see Keyboard navigation on page 32). Table 8 list the commands of theFile menu.

ToolbarThe toolbar has icons for opening, saving, saving as, and reloading files. A description of the icon isdisplayed when the pointer rests on the icon.

Tree paneThe tree pane is located to the left of the main window (see Figure 1 on page 29). All currently openedfiles are displayed in the tree pane (see Figure 2 on page 31).

Table 8 File menu

Command Icon Shortcut keys Description

Open Ctrl+O Opens or finds a file.

Save Ctrl+S Saves the selected file with its current file name, location, and file format.

Save As Saves the selected file with a different file name, location, or file format.

Reload Ctrl+R Loads a file again. If there are unsaved modifications, a warning message is displayed.

Close Ctrl+W Closes the selected file without exiting the program. If the file contains any unsaved changes, a confirmation dialog box is displayed to save the file before closing.

Exit Ctrl+Q Closes the program after a confirmation to save any unsaved files.

30


Figure 2 Tree pane

Similar to a file browser, a file can be expanded to display the objects contained in the file. Differenticons are used to indicate the different object types contained in a TDR file (see Table 9).

An object from the tree pane can be selected by mouse operations or keyboard navigation. Detailedinformation about the selected object is displayed in the list pane and data pane.

List paneThe list pane is located in the upper right of the main window (see Figure 1 on page 29). It displays theimmediate sub-objects, in list form, which are contained in the object that is selected in the tree pane.

The list contains the object type and name. It can be sorted alphabetically (ascending or descendingorder) by type or name.

When an object from the list is selected, the data related directly to the object is displayed in the datapane.

Table 9 Object icons and displayed information in tree pane

Icon Object type Displayed information Icon Object type Displayed information

File File base name Interface region Region name

Dataset Dataset name State State name

Geometry Geometry name Tag Tag name

Part Part name Tag group Tag group name

Bulk region Region name Transformation Transformation name

Contact region Region name

31


Data paneThe data pane is located in the lower right of the main window (see Figure 1 on page 29). It is used todisplay and modify the data object directly related to the object selected in the tree pane or list pane. Datathat can be modified by users is displayed with a white background. A gray background is used for read-only data.

Right-clicking an editable field in the data pane displays a shortcut menu that allows users to accesscommands to undo, redo, cut, copy, paste, clear, and select all. Most of these functions are also availableby using keyboard navigation.

Keyboard navigationWhen Sentaurus Data Explorer has started and loaded one or more files, users can browse the files witha tree view of the top-level objects of the hierarchy. Users can easily expand TDR files to navigatethrough the hierarchical structure. The editing features allow users to manipulate objects of the TDR file.Navigation is possible using the keyboard and mouse operations.

Table 10 lists the available keyboard navigation. Right-click the pane to display a shortcut menu for thebrowser section. The icon of a node represents the type of an object.

Table 10 Keyboard navigation keys

Window Keys Description

All Tab Switches to the next window or text field.

Shift + Tab Switches to the previous window or text field.

End Displays the bottom of the active window.

Home Displays the top of the active window.

Alt Switches to the file menu bar.

Alt + Enter Opens the selected menu. (To change the menu item, use the Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys.)

Tree pane Num Lock + asterisk on numeric keypad (*)

Displays all sub-objects under the selected object.

Num Lock + Plus sign on numeric keypad (+)

Displays the contents of the selected object.

Num Lock + Minus sign on numeric keypad (–)

Collapses the selected object.

Left Arrow Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, or selects parent object.

Right Arrow Displays the current selection if it is collapsed, or selects first sub-object.

32


File operationsThe following sections describe the functions related to files. These functions can be accessed from theFile menu or shortcut keys.

Opening filesTo open a file:

File > Open, or click the Open icon, or Ctrl+O.

The Open dialog box is displayed, which can be used to limit the displayed files to one of the supportedfile types (DF–ISE, IVL, PLX, TDF, TDR, and TIF) (see Figure 3). If a file has been opened recently, itcan be selected from the list of recently opened files in the File menu.

Figure 3 Open dialog box

If the opened file is not in TDR format, a dialog box with conversion options is displayed (seeConverting input files on page 36).

Saving filesTo save a file:

1. Select the file in the tree pane.

2. File > Save, or click the Save icon, or right-click and select the Save command, or Ctrl+S.

Tree pane Up Arrow Selects the next object.

Down Arrow Selects the previous object.

Table 10 Keyboard navigation keys

Window Keys Description

33


Saving files using a different name or formatTo save a file with a new file name or a different format than TDR:

1. Select the file geometry or state in the tree pane.

2. File > Save As, or click the Save As icon, or right-click and select the Save As command.A dialog box is displayed.

3. Enter the new file name and select the file format (see Figure 4).

For details on saving files in a different format, see Converting output files on page 37.

Figure 4 Save As dialog box

Reloading filesTo reload a file:


2. File > Reload, or click the Reload icon, or right-click and select the Reload command, or Ctrl+R.

If the file has been modified, a dialog box is displayed to confirm whether the changes should bediscarded.

Closing filesTo close a file:


2. File > Close, or right-click and select the Close command, or Ctrl+W.

If the file has been modified, a dialog box is displayed to confirm whether the file should be saved beforeclosing or if the modifications should be discarded.

34


Editing operationsSentaurus Data Explorer allows users to modify certain properties of objects and to delete objects.Table 11 lists the supported modifications for different object types.

Modifying objectsTo modify an object:

Select the object in the tree pane or list pane.

Object properties that can be modified by the user are displayed in the data pane with a whitebackground. Read-only fields are displayed with a gray background.

Renaming objectsSee Modifying objects.

To rename an object:

1. Select an object in the tree pane.

2. Right-click and select the Rename command.

Table 11 Supported modifications of TDR objects

Object Modification

Bulk region Material

Dataset Name, quantity, values

File Delete geometries

Geometry Name

Region Name, delete states

State Name, delete datasets

Transformation Values

35


Deleting objectsTo delete an object:

1. Select the object in the tree pane.

2. Right-click and select the Delete command, or press the Delete key.

Converting input filesSentaurus Data Explorer can read files with different formats: DF–ISE (.grd, .dat, .bnd, and .plt), IVL,PLX, TDF, TDR, and TIF. While loading a file, Sentaurus Data Explorer always converts the file to itscorresponding TDR representation. If the loaded file is in TIF or TDF format, a dialog box withconversion options is displayed (see Figure 5).

If the Esc key is pressed or the Cancel button is clicked, all selections are ignored and the default optionsare used for conversion.

See TDF-to-TDR conversions on page 40 and TIF-to-TDR conversions on page 44 for detailedinformation about the conversion options.

Figure 5 Convert TDF to TDR Options dialog box

36


Converting output filesThe Save As command from the File menu (see Saving files using a different name or format onpage 34) is used to save a file in a different format than TDR. Since DF–ISE and TIF files can store onlyone geometry and one state, it is necessary to select which geometry and state will be saved. Thegeometry and state can be selected in a separate dialog box (see Figure 6).

Figure 6 Select geometry and state for conversion to TIF

Sentaurus Data Explorer supports conversion of files from TDR format to DF–ISE and TIF format. SeeTDR-to-TIF conversions on page 44 for details about the conversion from TDR to TIF format.

37


38

SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER CHAPTER 5 REFERENCE GUIDE


CHAPTER 5 Reference guide

This chapter provides reference material for using Sentaurus Data Explorer.

Environment variables and configuration filesThe environment variable TDFLIB is used to locate a directory that contains the configuration files mtr.db,sol.db, mat.dbs, and sol.dbs:

mtr.db is used to convert material names from TDF and TIF files to TDR material names.

sol.db is used to convert quantity names and conversion factors from TDF and TIF to TDR.

mat.dbs and sol.dbs are only required for conversion of TIF files.

The datexcodes.txt file is used to convert TDR files to TIF files. Refer to Utilities, Chapter 2 on page 25,for more information on the datexcodes.txt file and the search strategy.

Supported conversionsFor all conversions, the internal representation uses the TDR format.

Table 12 and Table 13 on page 40 show which file format conversions are supported: ++ indicates thatno information is lost during the conversion and + indicates that conversion is possible but someinformation contained in the source file may not be converted.

Table 12 Supported conversions of grid and data files

Output

Input TDR DF–ISE TIF

TDR + +

DF–ISE ++ +

TDF + + +

TIF + +

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERCHAPTER 5 REFERENCE GUIDE

TDF-to-TDR conversions

TDF format constraintsSentaurus Data Explorer only converts TDF files that contain a finite-element grid. Other possiblecontents such as tensor grids or boundaries are not supported by the converter.

Material namesThe conversion of material names is based on the entries in the DFISEName column in the mtr.db file. Userscan create a local copy of the mtr.db file, and add or modify the DFISEName entries if the provided valuesare not appropriate.

If the name of a material cannot be found in the mtr.db file, a warning is displayed and the material nameis not modified by Sentaurus Data Explorer.

If the material is found in the mtr.db file and there is a DFISEName entry, this one is used. If there is noDFISEName entry, the root material is used and converted to the corresponding DFISEName, and a warning isdisplayed.

Quantity namesThe conversion of quantity names is based on the entries in the DatexName column in the sol.db file. Userscan create a local copy of the sol.db file, and add or modify the DatexName entries if the provided valuesare not appropriate.

If the name of a quantity cannot be found in the sol.db file, a warning is displayed and the quantity nameis not modified by Sentaurus Data Explorer.

Table 13 Supported conversions of xy files

Output

Input TDR DF–ISE

TDR +

DF–ISE ++

IVL + +

PLX + +

40


If the quantity is found in the sol.db file and there is a DatexName entry, this one is used. If there is noDatexName entry, the PrintName is used and a warning is displayed.

Conversion factorFor some of the TDF quantities, the units differ from the corresponding TDR quantities and anappropriate conversion factor must be applied. The value of the conversion factor for a quantity is takenfrom the convFac column in the sol.db file.

Ignoring unknown quantitiesSentaurus Device cannot handle datasets with quantities for which there is no corresponding DATEXname. With the option -q, it is possible to ignore these datasets during conversion.

Electrodes and thermodesTDF files can contain electrodes and thermodes for electrical and thermal contacts, respectively. In TDRand DF–ISE, there is only one type of contact and it is necessary to specify in the command file ofSentaurus Device the type of boundary condition for which a contact is used.

Volume regions with material electrode or thermodeVolume regions are regions that have the same dimension as the geometry to which they belong. In TDR,the dimension of contact regions is one less than the dimension of the geometry to which they belong.Therefore, TDF volume regions with material electrodes or thermodes cannot be converted into TDRcontacts. These volume regions are ignored during conversion and a warning is displayed.

In Taurus Process, the material can be changed to avoid ignoring these regions during conversion:

RedefineRegion(name=... newMaterial=...)

or:

RedefineRegion(material=... newMaterial=...)

To create TDR contacts during conversion, it is necessary to wrap these volume regions in TaurusProcess in a surface contact:

defineContact(region=... name=...)

41


Removing ambient regionsStructures saved by Taurus Process contain ambient regions, which are usually unwanted for devicesimulations. Using the option -a, it is possible to ignore ambient regions during conversion.

Interface regionsConversion of interface regions is not supported.

Inconsistent facesTaurus Process and Taurus Device cannot assemble the equation system for pyramid elements.Therefore, pyramids are split into tetrahedrons. However, the element adjacent to the rectangular faceof the pyramid is not split. Inconsistent faces are the result because, after the split, two triangular facesare adjacent to a rectangular face.

In previous versions of Taurus Process, pyramids were always split. The default behavior of TaurusProcess has been changed to keep pyramids. However, when simulating a diffusion step, the pyramidsare split and inconsistent faces are generated. Different possibilities to make the faces consistent aredescribed here.

Taurus Device will always split pyramids into tetrahedrons and save files containing inconsistent faces.These files can be loaded into Taurus Process and made consistent.

Inconsistent faces appear in Tecplot SV, especially when translucency is activated, because Tecplot SVmay not be able to determine correctly whether a face is internal or external. Sentaurus Device cannotuse grids that contain inconsistent faces.

In Taurus Process, different solutions are possible, depending on the application:

Prevent Taurus Process from splitting elements and creating inconsistent faces. The followingcommand will ensure that only consistent mixed-element meshes are built (starting from the nextregridding):

refinements(regrid(splitPyramids=false))

Make faces consistent. Making a mesh consistent will create pyramids and it may add a few points.It is better to generate a consistent mesh in the first instance, keeping the pyramids. Making aninconsistent mesh consistent is intended to be an emergency procedure that needs to be used, forexample, when an inconsistent mesh is loaded and regridding should be avoided. The followingcommand will change an inconsistent mesh into a consistent one during a simulation in TaurusProcess. This is a one-time operation, until the next regridding:

redefineDevice(consistentFaces)

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The following command will make an inconsistent mesh consistent at the time of saving a file, whilestaying inconsistent during the further Taurus Process simulation:

save(... consistentFaces)

Either of the above commands can be used immediately after, for example, adefineDevice(meshfile=...) command that loads a file.

Force Taurus Process to split all 3D elements into tetrahedrons before saving a TDF file. TaurusProcess will always build simplex meshes starting with the next regrid after the user specifies:

refinements(regrid(simplexMesh))

Taurus Process will convert the existing mesh in memory into a simplex mesh (this is a one-timeoperation; in the next regrid, it will not build simplex meshes):

redefineDevice(simplexMesh)

Taurus Process will convert the mesh into a simplex mesh when saving a file (but will remain withwhatever meshes it has in memory and continue building such meshes in subsequent regrids):

save(... simplexMesh)

The last two commands can be used immediately after:

defineDevice(meshfile=...)

to convert a mesh from a loaded TDF file into a simplex mesh.

NOTE Conversion into a simplex mesh will considerably increase the number of elements, whichcan lead to a slowdown of subsequent Sentaurus Device simulations.

Splitting rectanglesSentaurus Process can only use grids that contain triangles or tetrahedrons. Two-dimensional grids savedby Taurus Process can contain triangles and rectangles. Using the option -r, the rectangles can be splitinto triangles during conversion.

For 3D grids, a similar splitting of elements into tetrahedrons is necessary. However, this is notsupported by Sentaurus Data Explorer and must be performed by Taurus Process.

Extracting boundariesSentaurus Data Explorer only converts a TDF grid to a TDR grid. To remesh the structure, it is necessaryto extract and simplify the boundary. Extraction of the boundary can be performed by using Mesh.Simplification of the extracted boundary can be performed by using Sentaurus Structure Editor.

43


TIF-to-TDR conversions

Material and quantity namesTIF material and quantity names are first converted to the corresponding TDF material and quantitynames. Then, the same procedure as previously described for TDF material and quantity names is used.See Material names on page 40 and Quantity names on page 40.

Removing contact regionsTIF files frequently contain volume regions for which the material or root material is conductor andcontact regions, which are the boundary of these volume regions. With the option -c, it is possible toignore the volume regions and keep only the boundary regions that can then be used in Sentaurus Device.

Missing ambient regionsStructures saved by TSUPREM-4 do not contain ambient regions. These structures cannot be used bySentaurus Process without adding a gas region. A possible solution is to deposit an otherwise unusedmaterial as the last process step before writing a TIF file that will be converted for use with SentaurusProcess and to rename the material to Gas.

TDR-to-TIF conversions

Material and quantity namesThe conversion of material and quantity names is based on the information contained in the alter1entries in the datexcodes.txt file. Users can create a local copy of the datexcodes.txt file, and add ormodify the alter1 entries if the provided values are not appropriate.

If there is no alter1 entry, the material or quantity name is not changed and a warning is displayed.

ContactsContacts are converted into regions with the material Elec.

44


Interface regionsConversion of interface regions is not supported.

Region namesSpace characters in region names are replaced by underscores.

Mirroring

Number of regionsRegions that touch the mirroring hyperplane are merged with their mirror image. Therefore, the numberof regions in the new geometry is less than twice the number of regions in the original structure.

Naming regionsBy default, the name of new regions is the name of the original region with the suffix _mirrored. It ispossible to rename new regions automatically by specifying the name of the original region and thename of the new region.

Vector datasetsFor vectors located on the mirror hyperplane, the value of the component perpendicular to the mirrorhyperplane is set to zero. For vectors that are not located on the mirror hyperplane, the sign of the vectorcomponent perpendicular to the mirror hyperplane is inverted.

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46

SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER APPENDIX A STRUCTURE OF TDR


APPENDIX A Structure of TDR

TDR is a data format for geometries, datasets, and xy data. In contrast to DF–ISE and similar to TDF,the geometry and associated datasets are contained in one file. A TDR file can contain an arbitrarynumber of geometries and xy data (see Figure 7).

Figure 7 Structure of a TDR file

Due to performance considerations, TDR uses a compressed binary file format. Sentaurus Data Explorercan modify certain parts (for example, region name and material) of a TDR file that were traditionallymodified in DF–ISE files using a text editor.

TDR File geometry 0

geometry 1

geometry n

xy 0

xy 1

xy m

…

…

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERAPPENDIX A STRUCTURE OF TDR

GeometriesThere are two large categories of geometry, which themselves contain different subtypes: mixed-element geometries and tensor-product grids (see Figure 8).

Figure 8 Geometry types

There are two different types of mixed-element geometry: boundaries and mixed-element grids.Boundaries are used as input for mesh generators. The bulk regions of boundaries contain only polygonsand polyhedrons in 2D and 3D, respectively.

The geometric information is stored in an arbitrary number of regions. Datasets and xy data associatedwith a geometry are stored in an arbitrary number of states (see Figure 9).

Figure 9 Structure of a geometry

geometry

mixed-elementgeometry

tensor-productgrid

boundary mixed-elementgrid uniform rectilinear warped

xy

geometry region 0

region 1

region n

state 0

state 1

state m

…

…

48


RegionsThere are three different kinds of region in mixed-element geometries: bulk regions, interface regions,and contact regions (see Figure 10).

Figure 10 Region types

Topologically, regions can be multiply connected and can consist of disconnected parts. Regions containone or more parts, which can be connected to each other or disconnected. A common property of regionsis a name that is unique in a geometry.

Bulk regions have the same dimension as the geometry to which they belong. In addition, bulk regionsare associated with a material.

For contact and interface regions, the dimension is one less than the geometry to which they belong.Interface regions are located at the interface of two bulk regions and are used to store data that is locatedon such region interfaces. Contact regions are used to specify electric or thermal boundary conditionsfor device simulation.

PartsParts are containers for elements. The elements of a part must be connected to each other. A part containsonly elements that have the same dimension as the region to which the part belongs. A part belongs toexactly one region.

ElementsThere are ten different element types:

Zero dimension:

• Point

One dimension:

• Line

region

boundary

contact region interface

region bulk region

region

49


Two dimensions:

• Triangle

• Rectangle

• Polygon

Three dimensions:

• Tetrahedron

• Pyramid

• Prism

• Cuboid

• Polyhedron

Elements must not overlap each other and an element belongs to exactly one part.

StatesA state is a container of an arbitrary number of datasets and xy data.

DatasetsA dataset is valid in exactly one bulk region or one interface region. Each dataset has a descriptive name.The dataset quantity describes the physical quantity stored in the dataset and corresponds to the DF–ISEdataset function.

The data values of a dataset are associated with one of the following location types:

Vertex

Edge

Face

Element

Element vertex

Element edge

Element face

Region

50


The data values of a dataset have one of the following structure types:

Scalar

Vector (arbitrary number of rows)

Matrix (arbitrary number of rows and columns)

The data values of a dataset have one of the following value types:

Integer

Float

Double

Complex-float

Complex-double

xy dataAll datasets have the same number of values.

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52

SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORER GLOSSARY


Glossary

DF–ISEThis data format is a family of file formats for 1D, 2D, and 3D boundaries (.bnd), mixed-element grids (.grd), and tensor-product grids (.ten), and associated data (.dat), xy data (.plt), and layouts (.lyt).

IVLThis data format refers to I–V log files created by Medici.

mixed-element gridsThese are the TDR equivalent to DF–ISE grids. They are also called finite-element grids or unstructured grids. They are created by mesh generators and are used, for example, as input for Sentaurus Device.

PLXThese are XGRAPH format files for xy data. They are used by Dios for input and output of 1D doping profiles.

statesThese are the TDR equivalent to DF–ISE data files. They are stored in the same file as the grid with which they are associated.

TDFTechnology Data Format. This is a format for 1D, 2D, and 3D grids and associated data. It is used by Taurus Process, Taurus Device, and Raphael.

TDRThe DF–ISE Replacement. This is a new data format that contains many improvements in comparison to DF–ISE. It stores boundaries, mixed-element grids, and tensor-product grids, and associated data and xy data. In contrast to DF–ISE, the grid and associated data are stored in one file. A TDR file can contain arbitrarily many boundaries, grids, and data.

TIFTechnology Interchange Format. This is a format for 2D grids and associated data. It is used by TSUPREM-4 and Medici.

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SENTAURUS DATA EXPLORERGLOSSARY

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