Method for use in simulation of an soi device

Abstract

A method for use in electronic design models encoded into design software for use in SOI based FET logic design includes simulation of an SOI device by and setting a floating body voltage to any desired value at any time during the simulation, by adding to the model an ideal voltage source, whose value is a desired body voltage, in series with an ideal current source, whose value is a constant times the voltage across itself. When the constant is zero, no current can flow, and any additional components have no effect on the circuit. When the constant is non-zero, said ideal current source appears to be the same as a resistor such that current can flow in to or out from the body node, setting its voltage. The constant is kept zero at all times, except when it is desired to change the body voltage. The body voltage can be reset at any time to solve the problem of successive delays in one simulation run and resetting the voltage before each delay measurement starts. To solve the problem of predicting the delay in a delay predictor (for example, delay rules generation), the offset from the body voltage as a part of the best case/worst case determination is included. The improved process employs a topological analysis for circuit elements to determine whether the element falls in one of several categories, and in the process determines which elements of a circuit might be in AC equilibrium.