μS-THERMANAL: an efficient thermal simulation tool for microsystem elements and MCMs

Integrated microsystems raise new problems in thermal simulation. The frequently used structures such as cantilevers, membranes have quite different heat transfer properties than the simple silicon cubes of conventional ICs. Furthermore numerous functions are realized on these structures based on thermal principle. Quick and correct thermal simulation of these structures is needed during the design process. The paper presents the (mu) S-THERMANAL thermal simulation tool which is capable to simulate cantilever, bridge etc. microsystem structures both in steady-state and in the frequency-domain case. The algorithms of the program, based on the Fourier method, are detailed in the paper and numerous examples illustrate the capabilities of the tool.