2. Solving Optimization Tasks in Microelectronics Applications

With decreasing feature size the complexity of manufacturing processes of semiconductor devices is getting larger and larger. For fast development computer aided optimization tools are required.

In the TCAD field several approaches have been proposed in the last years, like specialized optimization strategies [26] integrated in simulators or as extra tools [9]. Other methods focus on optimizations using Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology^2.1 [11].

These methods are able to solve a particular optimization task, but during research and development in the field of microelectronic devices, several different types of optimization problems arise.

Footnotes

... Methodology^2.1

Design of Experiments (DoE) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) are explained in Chapter 3.