Abstract: 
The release by IHP-GmbH in 2023 of an Open-Access Process Design Kit (PDK) for a BiCMOS 130nm process node allows, for the first time, free access to RF/analogue and mixed signal IC Design, using FOSS tools. An important goal of the IHP-GmbH initiative is to provide semiconductor process and IC layout data for creating manufacturable IC at their production plant in Germany. This presentation reports on the application of Qucs-S/Ngspice, openVAF and Octave for RF IC design and analysis using the IHP SG13G2 process node. Recent FOSS tool releases further expand on previous generations of capabilities to include more advances schematic capture, improved circuit analysis/simulation, and high resolution output data visualization. These improvements are also highlighted. Throughout the presentation a series of design examples/case studies are introduced and discussed. These have been specifically chosen to illustrate the application of the FOSS tools in RF IC design and analysis. The FOSS software introduced in this talk is freely available and can be downloaded with the internet links provided.

Abstract: 
Off-state leakage in low-temperature polysilicon thin-film transistors (TFTs) is one of the key disadvantages in display backplanes and significantly impacts energy efficiency. Contact-controlled transistors, such as source-gated transistors (SGTs) and multimodal transistors (MMTs), are capable of off-currents two orders-of-magnitude lower than Ohmic-contact TFTs, due to deliberate energy barriers at the source contact. Using Silvaco Atlas TCAD simulations, with verified off-state leakage models, we highlight recent insight into barrier optimization to allow such devices to operate with higher on-currents, without compromising the off-state performance. While Atlas’ Mixed-Mode capability allows for exploratory circuit simulation, deriving compact models for such devices would allow circuit designers the ability to explore these benefits in applications far beyond pixel driving circuits in display.