Circuit simulation for Nano-Electro-Mechanical switches VLSI circuits

Abstract

To accurately simulate the behavior of Nano-Electro- Mechanical Switch (NEM) circuits, a NEM circuit simulation model that faithfully reproduces the NEMS device characteristics in a circuit simulation environment is needed. In this paper, we present an accurate NEMS circuit simulation model. The model is based on the 3D Finite Element Analysis (FEA) physical device that captures the device multiphysics phenomena. The NEMS circuit simulation model reproduces the same characteristics of the 3D FEA model using circuit simulation techniques. In this way, the 3D FEA physical device model is used to derive and calibrate the NEMS circuit simulation model. To evaluate the accuracy of the model, the model is implemented in a circuit simulator. The NEM circuit simulator enables the evaluation of NEMS circuit with the same accuracy of the 3D FEA physical device model at much lower cost in terms of CPU time and memory requirement. In this paper, we present an accurate NEMS circuit model derivation and a NEMS circuit simulator. The simulator is able to simulate larger NEMS circuits with the same accuracy as the FEA at an acceptable CPU time and memory requirement.