Scalable Atomistic TCAD Solutions for Next Generation Semiconductor Devices and Materials

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Silvaco Inc., Purdue University and Purdue Research Foundation announced Friday (Aug. 24) the formation of an innovative partnership aimed at extending Moore’s law by modeling and simulating transistors and new memory technologies that approach atomistic scale in next generation semiconductor processes and materials.

Purdue Research Foundation President Brian Edelman speaks at contract signing event with Silvaco Inc. officials Thursday (Aug. 23) at the Kurz Purdue Technology Center. Silvaco will license Purdue University intellectual property, sponsor research at Purdue and open an office in the Purdue Technology Center. Seated at the table, from left, are David Dutton, Silvaco CEO; Iliya Pesic, executive chairman of the Silvaco board of directors; Brooke Beier, vice president of the PRF Office of Technology and Commercialization; and Ken Sandel, senior director of Purdue sponsored program services. (Purdue Research Foundation Image/John Underwood)

Silvaco will license Purdue University intellectual property from the Purdue Research Foundation, a private and nonprofit foundation created to advance the university’s mission, sponsor research and open an office in the Purdue Technology Center.

Silvaco is a leader for more than 20 years in the TCAD market for semiconductor device and process simulation and its latest Victory TCAD tools are currently deployed in leading semiconductor companies worldwide. The agreement involves the commercialization of the NEMO tool suite, an atomistic nanoelectronics modeling and simulation tool that has been used by leading semiconductor companies as the golden device simulation tool for investigation of advanced physics phenomena aimed at extending Moore’s law.  The goal of this collaboration is to link NEMO with Silvaco’s Virtual Wafer Fab to provide the market with a true ab-initio to circuit level integrated co-optimization design platform.

“We are very excited to bring together the strong research expertise of the Purdue team in atomistic simulation along with Silvaco’s strong background in TCAD, modeling and circuit simulation” said Eric Guichard, vice president of the TCAD division at Silvaco. “The partnership will result in a powerful solution that enables path finding of advanced semiconductors well before running silicon which ultimately saves time-to-market and hundreds of millions of dollars in development costs.”

Tillmann Kubis, a research assistant professor in Purdue's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, in charge of the NEMO project, also praised the agreement.

“The NEMO tool suite represents the spearhead of nanotechnology modeling – both for well-controlled experimental conditions as well as large-scale fabrication reality. Its commercial version, customized to industrial needs and infrastructure, will have high societal impact,” Kubis said. “I also think the fact that Silvaco is interested in Purdue intellectual property, sponsoring further research and plan to open an office here is a strong endorsement of the innovation and collaboration ecosystem at Purdue.” 

About Silvaco Inc.

Silvaco Inc. is a leading EDA tools and semiconductor IP provider used for process and device development for advanced semiconductors, power IC, display and memory design. For over 30 years, Silvaco has enabled its customers to develop next generation semiconductor products in the shortest time with reduced cost. We are a technology company outpacing the EDA industry by delivering innovative smart silicon solutions to meet the world’s ever-growing demand for mobile intelligent computing. The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Japan and Asia. 

About Purdue Research Foundation

The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Established in 1930, the foundation accepts gifts; administers trusts; funds scholarships and grants; acquires property; protects Purdue's intellectual property; and promotes entrepreneurial activities on behalf of Purdue. The foundation manages the Purdue Foundry, Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization, Purdue Research Park and Purdue Technology Centers. The foundation received the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Innovation from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.