1.3 Terminology

This section collects some terms often used or referenced throughout this text. Since most of them are explained in more detail within the according text passages the aim of this list is primarily to give a short survey of the terminology before going into detail.

Algorithm: A systematic procedure that produces - in a finite number of steps - the answer to a question or the solution of a problem. In the context of this text the notion ``algorithm'' is commonly used for subsuming any kind of computational procedures used within TCAD applications.

Application Engineer: An engineer designing and implementing TCAD tools (simulators) to be integrated into a TCAD framework ([18]).

Bison: An implementation of the UNIX parser code generator Yacc which is available under the GNU General Public License.

Class: A class is an aggregate containing members and methods for implementing the programming paradigms of data and function encapsulation in object-oriented programming languages.

Class Tree: This is the tree of classes obtained by inheritance beginning from the parent class as the root of the class tree. Each node in the tree represents a class inheriting information from its parent classes.

Compiler: A program that converts another program from some source language (or programming language) to machine language (object code). Some compilers output assembly language which is then converted to machine language by a separate assembler.

Flex: An implementation of the UNIX lexical analyzer code generator Lex available under the GNU General Public License.

Framework: An infrastructure supporting the use and linking together of existing simulators in order to obtain higher overall functionality.

Framework Engineer: An engineer designing and implementing components of a TCAD framework ([18]).

FSF: Free Software Foundation, a non profit organization which is dedicated to eliminating restrictions on copying, redistribution, understanding, and modification of computer programs.

GNU: GNU's Not Unix! A project of the FSF to develop a complete integrated software system upwardly compatible with Unix.

Instance: An object is called an instance of a particular class. While the class just declares its members and methods, the object defines (allocates) the physical resources (e.g.: memory) needed to represent the class.

Inheritance: The process whereby a derived class inherits members from a base class. A derived class will also add its own members to those of the base class.

Input Deck: A TCAD tool control file, where commands and options regarding the tool run are stored.

Interpreter: A program which executes other programs. This is in contrast to a compiler which does not execute its input program (the "source code"

Lex: A program to generate a lexical analyzer for input processing.

Member: A single data item or method contained in a class (i.e. class member).

Method: This is a function defined in the context of a specific class. It represents algorithms influencing the state (member values) of particular instances of that class.

Model: A model is a simplified representation of the real world and, as such, includes only those variables relevant to the problem at hand. In the context of this thesis the notion ``model'' is commonly used for subsuming especially all kinds of computational representations of real world problems.

Model Developer: An engineer working on the development, improvement, and implementation of physical models for TCAD applications.

Object: An instance of a class, i.e. an identifiable entity commonly represented by a object handle.

Shell Script: A file interpreted by the command line interpreter of the operating system.

TCAD Engineer: A engineer who employs TCAD tools and frameworks for his daily work without developing them.

Template: A text or object containing ``placeholders'' which can be used as a prototype for creating a meaningful instance of this text or object using a tuple.

Template Source File: A file containing templates which are to be substituted during a code generation process. In this text template files are processed with UNFUG.

Tuple: A list of variables or values belonging together, representing a semantical unit to be used elsewhere. Using UNFUG, a named tuple contained in a tuple file can be referenced from template source files to repeatedly associate the tuple variables with their corresponding values in a code generation loop.

Tuple File: A file containing tuples to be used by UNFUG when referenced from a template source file. Single tuples are identified using symbolic names.

Yacc: A tool supporting the generation of semantic parsers.