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Article
Publication date: 1 January 1993

A. MAJORANA and G. RUSSO

Two hydrodynamic models of a semiconductor device are considered. The first takes into account thermal and collisional effects, while neglecting viscous terms, which are included…

28

Abstract

Two hydrodynamic models of a semiconductor device are considered. The first takes into account thermal and collisional effects, while neglecting viscous terms, which are included in the second. A qualitative analysis of stationary one‐dimensional solutions is performed and a numerical comparison is presented.

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COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

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Article
Publication date: 1 June 2004

A. Majorana, O. Muscato and C. Milazzo

Time‐depending solutions to the Boltzmann‐Poisson system in one spatial dimension and three‐dimensional velocity space are obtained by using a recent finite difference numerical…

497

Abstract

Time‐depending solutions to the Boltzmann‐Poisson system in one spatial dimension and three‐dimensional velocity space are obtained by using a recent finite difference numerical scheme. The collision operator of the Boltzmann equation models the scattering processes between electrons and phonons assumed in thermal equilibrium. The numerical solutions for bulk silicon and for a one‐dimensional n+‐n‐n+ silicon diode are compared with the Monte Carlo simulation. Further comparisons with the experimental data are shown.

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COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

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Article
Publication date: 1 March 2002

S.F. Liotta and A. Majorana

In this paper we consider the Boltzmann equation describing the carrier transport in a semiconductor. A modified Chapman‐Enskog method is used, in order to find approximate…

272

Abstract

In this paper we consider the Boltzmann equation describing the carrier transport in a semiconductor. A modified Chapman‐Enskog method is used, in order to find approximate solutions in the weakly non‐homogeneous case. These solutions allow us to calculate the mobility and diffusion coefficients as functions of the electric field. The integral‐differential equations derived by means of the above mentioned method are numerically solved using a combination of spherical harmonics functions and finite‐difference operators. The Kane model for the electron band structure is assumed; the parabolic band approximation is obtained as a particular case. The numerical values of the mobility and diffusivity in a silicon device are compared with experimental data. The Einstein relation is also shown.

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COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

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Article
Publication date: 1 October 2006

C. Ertler and F. Schürrer

The purpose of this paper is to present a new deterministic solution method to the coupled Boltzmann‐Poisson system for simulating semiconductor devices.

453

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a new deterministic solution method to the coupled Boltzmann‐Poisson system for simulating semiconductor devices.

Design/methodology/approach

A non‐parabolic six‐valley model allows for the investigation of anisotropy effects. The solution method is based on a discontinuous piecewise polynomial approximation of the carrier distribution function. Integrating the Boltzmann equation over tiny cells of the phase space leads to a system of ordinary differential equations. The Poisson equation is selfconsistently solved by applying a finite element Galerkin approach.

Findings

Good agreement with shock‐capturing “WENO solutions” is obtained for n+nn+ silicon diodes. The anisotropy due to the six‐valley model affects considerably macroscopic quantities at the beginning of the transients. The method is also applicable to spatially two‐dimensional problems.

Research limitations/implications

The presented method is extendable by including full band structure data, although the method is much easier applicable when analytical band structure models can be used.

Practical implications

The new model is an efficient tool to acquire transport coefficients for device simulations or to directly simulate one‐ or two‐dimensional submicron devices on a kinetic level.

Originality/value

New grounds are broken by introducing a fast finite volume method for solving the Boltzmann equation in the spirit of finding a weak solution. The presented model is a good choice for the simulation of anisotropy effects in silicon semiconductor devices.

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COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, vol. 25 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

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Article
Publication date: 12 July 2013

Giovanna Xotta, Valentina A. Salomoni and Carmelo E. Majorana

Knowledge of the behavior of concrete at mesoscale level requires, as a fundamental aspect, to characterize aggregates and specifically, their thermal properties if fire hazards…

499

Abstract

Purpose

Knowledge of the behavior of concrete at mesoscale level requires, as a fundamental aspect, to characterize aggregates and specifically, their thermal properties if fire hazards (e.g. spalling) are accounted for. The assessment of aggregates performance (and, correspondingly, concrete materials made of aggregates, cement paste and ITZ – interfacial transition zone) is crucial for defining a realistic structural response as well as damage scenarios.

Design/methodology/approach

It is here assumed that concrete creep is associated to cement paste only and that creep obeys to the B3 model proposed by Bažant and Baweja since it shows good compatibility with experimental results and it is properly justified theoretically.

Findings

First, the three‐dimensionality of the geometric description of concrete at the meso‐level can be appreciated; then, creep of cement paste and ITZ allows to incorporate in the model the complex reality of creep, which is not only a matter of fluid flow and pressure dissipation but also the result of chemical‐physical reactions; again, the description of concrete as a composite material, in connection with porous media analysis, allows for understanding the hygro‐thermal and mechanical response of concrete, e.g. hygral barriers due to the presence of aggregates can be seen only at this modelling level. Finally, from the mechanical viewpoint, the remarkable damage peak effect arising from the inclusion of ITZ, if compared with the less pronounced peak when ITZ is disregarded from the analysis, is reported.

Originality/value

The fully coupled 3D F.E. code NEWCON3D has been adopted to perform fully coupled thermo‐hygro‐mechanical meso‐scale analyses of concrete characterized by aggregates of various types and various thermal properties. The 3D approach allows for differentiating each constituent (cement paste, aggregate and ITZ), even from the point of view of their rheologic behaviour. Additionally, model B3 has been upgraded by the calculation of the effective humidity state when evaluating drying creep, instead than using approximate expressions. Damage maps allows for defining an appropriate concrete mixture to withstand spalling and to characterize the coupled behaviour of ITZ as well.

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Article
Publication date: 1 February 1990

C. Majorana, A. Natali and R. Vitaliani

The aim of the present work is to describe a numerical approach to the analysis of three‐dimensional reinforced concrete structures subject to prestressing. The finite element…

58

Abstract

The aim of the present work is to describe a numerical approach to the analysis of three‐dimensional reinforced concrete structures subject to prestressing. The finite element approach developed is described, with particular regard to the configuration of finite elements in relation to numerical model generation. An elasto‐viscoplastic material law is adopted. The non‐linear formulation is discussed, pointing out theoretical and numerical aspects. The computational examples, carried out using a specially developed code, aim at illustrating the characteristic aspects of the proposed approach.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 7 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

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Article
Publication date: 31 January 2020

Marco Coco and Giovanni Nastasi

The purpose of this paper is to simulate charge transport in monolayer graphene on a substrate made of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). This choice is motivated by the fact that…

112

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to simulate charge transport in monolayer graphene on a substrate made of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). This choice is motivated by the fact that h-BN is one of the most promising substrates on account of the reduced degradation of the velocity due to the remote impurities.

Design/methodology/approach

The semiclassical Boltzmann equations for electrons in the monolayer graphene are numerically solved by an approach based on a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method. Both the conduction and valence bands are included, and the inter-band scatterings are taken into account as well.

Findings

The importance of the inter-band scatterings is accurately evaluated for several values of the Fermi energy, addressing the issue related to the validity of neglecting the generation-recombination terms. It is found out that the inclusion of the inter-band scatterings produces sizable variations in the average values, like the current density, at zero Fermi energy, whereas, as expected, the effect of the inter-band scattering becomes negligible by increasing the absolute value of the Fermi energy.

Research limitations/implications

The correct evaluation of the influence of the inter-band scatterings on the electronic performances is deeply important not only from a theoretical point of view but also for the applications. In particular, it will be shown that the time necessary to reach the steady state is greatly affected by the inter-band scatterings, with not negligible consequences on the switching on/off processes of realistic devices. As a limitation of the present work, the proposed approach refers to the spatially homogeneous case. For the simulation of electron devices, non-homogenous numerical solutions are required. This last case will be tackled in a forthcoming paper.

Originality/value

As observed in Majorana et al. (2019), the use of a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) approach, which properly describes the inter-band scatterings, is computationally very expensive because the valence band is highly populated and a huge number of particles is needed. Even by simulating holes instead of electrons does not overcome the problem because there is a certain degree of ambiguity in the generation and recombination terms of electron-hole pairs. The DG approach, used in this paper, does not suffer from the previous drawbacks and requires a reasonable computing effort.

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COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering , vol. 39 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

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Article
Publication date: 19 September 2008

Valentina A. Salomoni, Carmelo E. Majorana, Giuseppe M. Giannuzzi and Adio Miliozzi

The purpose of this paper is to describe an experience of R&D in the field of new technologies for solar energy exploitation within the Italian context. Concentrated solar power…

1248

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe an experience of R&D in the field of new technologies for solar energy exploitation within the Italian context. Concentrated solar power systems operating in the field of medium temperatures are the main research objectives, directed towards the development of a new and low‐cost technology to concentrate the direct radiation and efficiently convert solar energy into high‐temperature heat.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi‐tank sensible‐heat storage system is proposed for storing thermal energy, with a two‐tanks molten salt system. In the present paper, the typology of a below‐grade cone shape storage is taken up, in combination with nitrate molten salts at 565°C maximum temperature, using an innovative high‐performance concrete for structures absolving functions of containment and foundation.

Findings

Concrete durability in terms of prolonged thermal loads is assessed. The interaction between the hot tank and the surrounding environment (ground) is considered. The developed FE model simulates the whole domain, and a fixed heat source of 100°C is assigned to the internal concrete surface. The development of the thermal and hygral fronts within the tank thickness are analysed and results discussed for long‐term scenarios.

Originality/value

Within the medium temperature field, an innovative approach is here presented for the conceptual design of liquid salts concrete storage systems. The adopted numerical model accounts for the strong coupling among moisture and heat transfer and the mechanical field. The basic mathematical model is a single fluid phase non‐linear diffusion one based on the theory by Bažant; appropriate thermodynamic and constitutive relationships are supplemented to enhance the approach and catch the effects of different fluid phases (liquid plus gas).

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 18 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

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Article
Publication date: 1 December 2001

Salvatore Fabio Liotta

In this paper an asymptotic solution of the spherical harmonics equations describing the charge transport in semiconductors is found. This solution is compared with a numerical…

167

Abstract

In this paper an asymptotic solution of the spherical harmonics equations describing the charge transport in semiconductors is found. This solution is compared with a numerical solution for bulk silicon device. We also indicate application of this solution to the construction of high field hydrodynamical models.

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COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

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Article
Publication date: 1 January 1995

A.M. ANILE, C. MACCORA and R.M. PIDATELLA

The effects of viscosity, previously neglected in electronic device stimulations, are studied using a non‐standard hydrodynamic model, following Anile and Pennisi. Results are…

61

Abstract

The effects of viscosity, previously neglected in electronic device stimulations, are studied using a non‐standard hydrodynamic model, following Anile and Pennisi. Results are compared with those of Gardner.

Details

COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

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