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2.3.4 Interface Structure

The exchange of parameter values between model class instances among each other and the application is supported by the Algorithm Library class Interface. This class summarizes the list of parameters forming a ``fat'' interface for MDL class instances of a certain type into a single entity. The concept of a ``fat'' interface is to provide all information a certain kind of algorithm could possibly need for its evaluation without looking at the specific needs of the algorithm currently used.

The Interface class also encloses some optional documentation summarizing the purpose of the contained parameter list. It should contain information about the required Model class type, its purpose in the simulator and other useful hints for the Model developer. This documentation and all information concerning the enclosed parameters of the Interface is automatically forwarded to the user of the application when the instantiation or linkage of the MDL class to the Interface fails. Such failures can occur in stable applications because of erroneous MDL definitions contained in input decks supplied by the TCAD engineer or model developer. Thereby valuable debug information for the application and model developer is automatically available with no additional effort in the source code of the simulator.


next up previous contents
Next: 2.3.5 MDL Functions Up: 2.3 Structures of the Previous: 2.3.3 Model Instances
Robert Mlekus
1999-11-14