Author(s)

A. Burenkov, C. Gund & J. Lorenz

Abstract

A Figure of Merit for CMOS switching speed has been investigated using variations of device parameters of CMOS transistors for several technology generations. A modification of the Figure of Merit to predict the signal propagation time of a CMOS circuit is suggested. The modified Figure of Merit permits a prediction of the signal propagation time in CMOS circuits with a significantly improved accuracy, because it accounts for several dynamic effects. Due to the improved accuracy, the modified Figure of Merit can be used as a tool to evaluate the impact of different technological options on the CMOS circuit performance. 1 Introduction Short process development times are essential to maintain the competitiveness of a semiconductor manufacturer. Hence the use of TCAD tools for process development has strongly increased, as the fabr

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