Model Testing & Results

Model testing is an integral part of model implementation. The HICUM group tests each code in a rigorous manner before a release. The test is briefly outlined below. The test results for different model versions are also provided.

Test results including CMC QA suite for each model version

Any model code incorporates some default parameters into it unless and until it is forced to use some other specific model parameters. The set of default parameters guarantees the convergence of the code without showing any effect of HICUM model specific behavior. On the other hand, the test parameters are employed to test the transistor in different conditions to see the effects of HICUM model specific phenomena.

Typical test strategy:

Intrinsic transistor: One dimensional treatment: no series resistance, no perimeter/external elements

Temperature:	T=300K
DC Test:	Forward/Reverse Gummel
	VB-/IB-forced forward output characteristics
	VB-forced reverse output characteristics
AC Test:	fT versus IC plots
	Y-parameter versus IC plots
	Y-parameters versus Frequency plots

Temperature:	T=200K, 400K, 600K
DC Test:	Forward/Reverse Gummel
	VB-/IB-forced forward output characteristics
	VB-forced reverse output characteristics
AC Test:	fT versus IC plots
	Y-parameter versus IC plots

Electrothermal effect in the intrinsic transistor: (with non-zero RTH & CTH)
As in 1.
collector current spreading in intrinsic transistor: (with non-zero LATL & LATB)
As in 1.

Internal transistor: Added internal base resistance (RBI), tunnelling current source

Temperature:	T=300K
DC Test:	Forward/Reverse Gummel
	VB-/IB-forced forward output characteristics
	VB-forced reverse output characteristics
AC Test:	fT versus IC plots
	Y-parameter versus IC plots
	Y-parameters versus Frequency plots

Temperature:	T=200K, 400K, 600K
DC Test:	Forward/Reverse Gummel
	VB-/IB-forced forward output characteristics
	VB-forced reverse output characteristics
AC Test:	fT versus IC plots
	Y-parameter versus IC plots

Complete transistor: Added external series resistances, oxide/metal capacitances

Without substrate transistor and substrate network elements

Temperature:	T=300K
DC Test:	Forward/Reverse Gummel
	VB-/IB-forced forward output characteristics
	VB-forced reverse output characteristics
AC Test:	fT versus IC plots
	Y-parameter versus IC plots
	Y-parameters versus Frequency plots

Temperature:	T=200K, 400K, 600K
DC Test:	Forward/Reverse Gummel
	VB-/IB-forced forward output characteristics
	VB-forced reverse output characteristics
AC Test:	fT versus IC plots
	Y-parameter versus IC plots

Electrothermal effect in the complete transistor: (with non-zero RTH & CTH)
As in 1.
collector current spreading in complete transistor: (with non-zero LATL & LATB)
As in 1.

With substrate transistor, but without substrate network

Temperature: T=300K
DC Test: Forward/Reverse Gummel along with substrate current

AC Test: fT versus IC plots
Y-parameter versus IC plots
With substrate transistor and substrate network

Temperature: T=300K
AC Test: Y-parameter versus Frequency plots

Noise modeling can only be tested properly against the noise measurements of actual transistors.

Test results (including CMC QA suite)

Test Results: In the following, few test results are provided for the Verilog-A HICUM models. The corresponding codes, netlists and test parameters can be found in the Source Code section.

HICUM Level2 Version 3.0.0: QA setup: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 3.0.0: QA results: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.4.0: QA setup: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.4.0: QA results: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.34: QA setup: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.34: QA results: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.33: QA setup: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.33: QA results: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.32: QA setup: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.32: QA setup documentation: PDF file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.32: QA results: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.31: QA setup: <ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version 2.31: Comments on QA setup and results: <Text
HICUM Level2 Version 2.31: QA results: <ZIP file
Plot results for HICUM Level2 Version 2.31: PDF file
HICUM Level2 Version2.30: QA results with Spectre: <ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version2.30: QA results with ADS: ZIP file
Plot results for HICUM Level2 Version 2.30: PDF file
HICUM Level2 Version2.24: QA results with Spectre: ZIP file
HICUM Level2 Version2.24: Comparison of results with previous model HICUM Level2 Version2.23: PDF file
Plot results for HICUM Level2 Version 2.23: PDF file
Plot results for HICUM Level2 Version 2.22: PDF file
HICUM/L2V2.22: Comparison with Analytical and DEVICE results: PDF file
Plot results for HICUM Level2 Version 2.21: PDF file and ASCII files
Results showing compatibility between HICUM Level2 Version 2.21 and Version 2.11: PDF file
Plot results for HICUM Level2 Version 2.11: PDF file and ASCII files
Plot results for HICUM Level0 Version 1.11: PDF file and ASCII files

Model verification with actual device measurements are the ultimate test of a model's quality and capability. So far HICUM has been widely tested and qualified as a state-of-the-art bipolar transistor model applicable to modern bipolar/BiCMOS technologies. In the publication archive, one can find various published documents showing the corresponding results. Here few representative results from the early model evaluation are given for a quick understanding:

Model evaluation for a 7 GHz transistor (pdf-File;04/2001)
Model evaluation for a 40 GHz transistor in a BiCMOS process (pdf-File;04/2001)
Model evaluation for a 12GHz transistor in a BiCMOS Process (pdf-File)
Various technologies (pdf-File;04/1999)

A.Mukherjee, L.Hofmann
06 July 2020