Tom Korsmeyer
Coventor, Inc.

A Numerical Toolkit for Microsystem (MEMS) Design: System Modeling, Device Model Creation, and Point Solvers

Microsystems (called MEMS for micro-electrical-mechanical systems or MST for microsystems technology) appear, for example, as sensors in industry (in automobiles in particular), as laboratories in genetics and medicine, as optical switches in telecom, and as low-power, low-weight, components in wireless communications. They are usually fabricated in silicon and metals using processes derived from semi-conductor fabrication. The modeling of these devices has been
inspired by the VLSI experience as well. That is, software suites that encompass the entire span of creation and system behavior modeling are being created and are being used by designers.

In this talk, we describe the role of simulation software in providing microsystem designers with tools that can completely characterize their devices from system simulation to verify compliance with specifications, model creation that realizes the physical form of the system, and detailed numerical modeling that validates specific behavior in single and coupled physical domains. Algorithm choices are being driven by the requirements of the design community for fast solutions on modest architectures.

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