A TCAD approach to the physics-based modeling of frequency conversion and noise in semiconductor devices under large-signal forced operation

The paper presents a novel, unified technique to evaluate, through physics- based modeling, the frequency conversion and noise behavior of semiconducto r devices operating in large-signal periodic regime. Starting from the harm onic balance (HB) solution of the spatially discretized physics-based model under (quasi) periodic forced operation, frequency conversion at the devic e ports in the presence of additional input tones is simulated by applicati on of the small-signal large-signal network approach to the model. Noise an alysis under large-signal operation readily follows as a direct extension o f classical approaches by application of the frequency conversion principle to the modulated microscopic noise sources and to the propagation of these to the external device terminals through a Green's function technique. An efficient numerical implementation is discussed within the framework of a d rift-diffusion model and some examples are finally provided on the conversi on and noise behavior of rf Si diodes.