Model Validation Against Production Silicon
Before trusting CrystalSim's predictions about crystal-EM transistors, we validate our physics models against publicly available data from production silicon devices. If the simulator can't reproduce known silicon, it can't predict unknown crystals.
7 nm FinFET — TSMC N7 Comparison
I_D vs V_DS (three V_GS)
VLSI Symp. / IEDM 2016
- I_on @ V_GS=V_DD~700 µA/µm
- I_off @ V_GS=0~1 nA/µm
- SS65–70 mV/dec
- V_th~250 mV
Source: S.-Y. Wu et al., VLSI Symp. 2016 / IEDM 2016 — TSMC 7 nm CMOS platform.
| Metric | TSMC N7 (Published) | CrystalSim Model | Δ% |
|---|---|---|---|
| I_on | 700 µA/µm | 1864 µA/µm | +166.3% |
| I_off | 1 nA/µm | 2.00e-3 nA/µm | -99.8% |
| SS | 68 mV/dec | 70.00 mV/dec | +2.9% |
| V_th | 250 mV | 280 mV | +11.8% |
One or more metrics fall outside ±15 % of the published value. Honesty over a fake green checkmark — calibration of the compact model is on the roadmap.
GaN HEMT — AlGaN/GaN Power Device
| Metric | Published | CrystalSim Model | Δ% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2DEG mobility | 1500–2000 cm²/V·s | 1000 cm²/V·s | -33.3% |
| Breakdown field | 3.3 MV/cm | 3.30 MV/cm | +0.0% |
| R_on·A @ 600 V | < 1 mΩ·cm² | not modeled | — |
Source: U. K. Mishra, IEEE Proc. 2008; Transphorm / EPC datasheets; IEDM GaN-on-Si reports.
ZnO Thin-Film Transistor
| Metric | Published | CrystalSim Model | Δ% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amorphous mobility | 5–100 cm²/V·s | not modeled (single value) | — |
| Nanocrystalline mobility | 100–200 cm²/V·s | 200 cm²/V·s | in range |
Source: Hosono group (Tokyo Tech), Nature 2004; Fortunato et al., Adv. Mater. 2012.
Calibration Constants
| Constant | Value | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Mobility temperature exponent (Si) | −1.5 | Sze, "Physics of Semiconductor Devices", 4th ed., §3.2 |
| Mobility temperature exponent (GaN) | −2.0 | Mnatsakanov et al., Solid-State Electron. 2003 |
| Mobility temperature exponent (PZT) | 0 (insulator — no carrier transport) | Damjanovic, Rep. Prog. Phys. 1998 |
| Subthreshold ideality factor n | 1.0 – 1.3 | IEEE Trans. ED standard MOSFET compact model (BSIM4) |
| Saturation velocity v_sat | 1 × 10⁷ cm/s | Sze, "Physics of Semiconductor Devices", 4th ed., §3.4 |
Disclaimer
CrystalSim uses textbook compact models calibrated against published device data. It is not a TCAD-grade tool (Sentaurus, Silvaco) and should not be used for production tape-out decisions. It is a research exploration tool for the post-Moore design space.