Multi-Material Mesh Generation from Voxel Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of semiconductor fabrication processes, particularly at advanced technology nodes, leads to lengthy and costly experimental runs in the trial-and-error development of integrated process flows, resulting in significant resource expenditure and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A virtual fabrication environment employing a mesh generation pipeline that generates high-quality triangle surface and tetrahedral volume meshes from multi-material fill-fraction voxel data, using Delaunay triangulation and feature graph processing to accurately model semiconductor devices, thereby reducing the need for physical experimentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If trial-and-error physical experimentation is used to develop semiconductor fabrication processes, then process development can be performed with physical validation, but the cost and duration of development increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of semiconductor fabrication processes through 3D structural models that replicate physical fabrication outcomes. These virtual models allow process development and validation without physical experimentation, reducing development time while maintaining predictive accuracy through geometric modeling instructed by fabrication physics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces physical mechanical experimentation with computational modeling. Instead of physically fabricating and measuring experimental wafers, the system uses 3D structural models and virtual fabrication environments to predict process outcomes, substituting physical measurement systems with computational prediction systems
2Reliability
If trial-and-error physical experimentation is used to develop semiconductor fabrication processes, then process assumptions can be validated physically, but resource expenditure increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtual 3D structural models as copies of physical fabrication processes to validate process assumptions. These virtual models enable repeated testing and validation without consuming physical materials or fabrication resources, eliminating the need for expensive experimental wafers while maintaining verification capability
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual fabrication environment enables self-validation of process assumptions through automated 3D structural modeling. The system independently predicts fabrication outcomes based on input parameters and process models, eliminating the need for external physical experimentation and resource-intensive validation cycles
3Productivity
If conventional CAD and TCAD environments are used for virtual modeling, then some process prediction capability is provided, but the ability to model complete 3D structures of integrated process flows is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex integrated process flow into discrete 3D structural modeling components that can be individually simulated and then integrated. Each process step generates specific 3D structural changes that are combined to form complete integrated process models, enabling both speed and complexity handling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from 2D planar modeling to comprehensive 3D structural modeling to capture the full complexity of integrated process flows. This dimensional enhancement allows accurate representation of vertical structures, multi-layer interactions, and three-dimensional material distributions that conventional 2D environments cannot model
4Adaptability or versatility
If 3D structural modeling is performed at circuit-level area scale, then full technology modeling capability is achieved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of modeling by using geometric descriptions instructed by physics rather than full physics-based simulations. This parameter transformation maintains modeling versatility for full technology suites while reducing computational complexity through simplified geometric representations that capture essential physical behavior
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for multi-material mesh generation from fill-fraction voxel model data are discussed. Voxel representations of model data are used to generate robust and accurate multi-material meshes. More particularly, a mesh generation pipeline in a virtual fabrication environment is described that robustly generates high-quality triangle surface and tetrahedral volume meshes from multi-material fill-fraction voxel data. Multi-material topology is accurately captured while preserving characteristic feature edges of the model.