Multi-physics modelling for microelectronics and microsystems - Current capabilities and future challenges

At present the vast majority of Computer-Aided-Engineering (CAE) analysis calculations for microelectronic and microsystems technologies are undertaken using software tools that focus on single aspects of the physics taking place. For example, the design engineer may use one code to predict the airflow and thermal behavior of an electronic package, then another code to predict the stress in solder joints, and then yet another code to predict electromagnetic radiation throughout the system. The reason for this focus of mesh-based codes on separate parts of the governing physics is essentially due to the numerical technologies used to solve the partial differential equations, combined with the subsequent heritage structure in the software codes. Using different software tools, that each requires model build and meshing, leads to a large investment in time, and hence cost, to undertake each of the simulations. During the last ten years there has been significant developments in the modelling community around multi-physics analysis. These developments are being followed by many of the code vendors who are now providing multi-physics capabilities in their software tools. This paper illustrates current capabilities of multi-physics technology and highlights some of the future challenges.