Hi everyone. As you can understand I am completely new to IC design and have no education on the subject whatsoever. I am trying to teach myself.
Question: how to design on the Z axis? So ok, we can draw in X and Y direction , let’s say for example some nanometers of a P semiconductor. And we can use layers (like 1/0, 2/0 etc) so we know which part is on top of the other. But how can I design this semiconductor to be also specific nanometers in height? And then the other parts to be different nanometers in height?
I have also used the gds3xtrude Tool and everything always is represented flat. No height. And I think that it only shows a specific layer, not all of them together.
Thank you for your time
Comments
Hi,
Although semiconductor features are 3d finally, they are produced in a lithographic patterning process. This process is controlled by photomasks which are two-dimensional objects. Hence a semiconductor design is always done in multiple layers (often representing the photo masks), each of them being two-dimensional.
Layout engineers are used to reading mask drawings and turning them into a 3d image in their imagination. Like you do when you read a geographic map with contour lines, but on a more abstract level.
Matthias
Thanks for the info.
Well ... usually they say what they are going to do with it ...