MOS-AK Workshop: Exploring the Future of Microelectronics and Device Modelling
On 11 July 2025, London Metropolitan University hosted the MOS-AK Workshop, bringing together researchers, academics, and industry professionals at the forefront of microelectronics and electron device modelling. Supported by the IET RF & Microwave Technical Network and sponsored by the IHP Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics, the event offered a timely and in-depth look at where device modelling is heading, and why those directions matter.
As microelectronics continues to underpin everything from communications infrastructure to biomedical innovation, understanding how devices are modelled, simulated, and validated is becoming increasingly important. The MOS-AK Workshop provided a space to examine not just incremental improvements, but the fundamental modelling approaches that will shape the next generation of electronic systems.
Why device modelling matters more than ever
Modern electronics relies on models that translate physical behaviour into usable design tools. Whether working with CMOS, SOI, BiCMOS, SiGe, GaN, or InP technologies, engineers depend on accurate device models to predict performance, reliability, and limits long before fabrication.
The workshop set out to identify the most critical directions for future development in electron device modelling. Importantly, it did not confine the discussion to compact models alone. Physical, analytical, and numerical approaches were all considered, with the aim of identifying where further research is needed and where collaboration across modelling domains could accelerate progress.
This holistic approach reflects a broader engineering reality: no single model can answer every question. Robust design depends on understanding assumptions, limitations, and risk. In safety-critical and high-precision environments, these principles are reinforced through structured foundations such as health and safety training for engineers, which emphasise disciplined thinking alongside technical expertise.
A workshop designed for depth, not headlines
The MOS-AK Workshop was deliberately technical in nature. It was designed for device process engineers, IC designers across RF, analogue, mixed-signal and system-on-chip domains, as well as engineers specialising in device characterisation, modelling, and parameter extraction.
One key objective was to demystify what sits behind modern FOSS CAD and EDA IC simulations, particularly in the context of OpenPDKs. For many practitioners, simulation tools are essential yet opaque. Understanding how underlying models are constructed enables better judgement when interpreting results, selecting tools, and making design trade-offs.
This emphasis on transparency and understanding mirrors best practice across engineering disciplines, where identifying assumptions is central to robust decision-making. In formal settings, this mindset is supported through structured approaches to risk assessment fundamentals, ensuring that confidence is grounded in evidence rather than convenience.
Keynotes and technical highlights
The programme featured a broad range of presentations, each addressing a different aspect of device modelling and application.
Dr Krzysztof Herman of IHP Microelectronics opened with an overview of the IHP Open-PDK, examining its current status and future direction. His presentation highlighted the growing importance of open-access platforms in enabling innovation, reproducibility, and skills development across academia and industry.
Prof Mike Brinson of London Metropolitan University followed with a practical exploration of how FOSS tools are being applied in the design of IHP open-access 130nm BiCMOS RF integrated circuits. This session demonstrated that open tools are no longer limited to education or experimentation, but are increasingly capable of supporting serious design work.
Phillip Ferreira Baade-Pedersen of IHP Microelectronics presented the first IHP Open Source Analog Certificate Course, offering insight into how structured learning can support adoption of open technologies and raise baseline capability across the sector.
Together, these sessions reinforced a central theme: modelling is not just a technical exercise, but a skills and knowledge challenge that requires sustained investment.
From biomedical sensing to quantum devices
The diversity of applications covered during the workshop illustrated how far device modelling has expanded beyond traditional electronics.
Prof Bal Virdee and Dr Innocent Lubangakene of London Metropolitan University presented work on non-invasive biomedical sensors for dehydration monitoring. Their research highlighted how accurate models enable innovation in healthcare applications, where reliability and sensitivity are paramount.
Dr Lorenzo Peri from the University of Cambridge and Quantum Motion introduced compact quantum dot models for analogue microwave co-simulation. As quantum technologies move closer to practical deployment, modelling approaches must bridge classical and quantum domains, creating new challenges for simulation frameworks.
Dr Grayson Noah of Quantum Motion explored deep-cryogenic device characterisation within a CMOS foundry process. Operating devices at cryogenic temperatures introduces behaviours that are poorly captured by conventional models, underscoring the need for new approaches grounded in empirical data.
Across these sessions, one message was clear: as application domains diversify, modelling must evolve to remain relevant.
Emerging modelling challenges and opportunities
Further presentations addressed areas where existing models struggle to capture real-world behaviour.
Dr Patryk Golec of École Polytechnique, Paris discussed developments in compact models for source-gated devices, highlighting the balance between simplicity and accuracy. Dr Eva Bestelink of the University of Surrey presented energy-efficient current-mode pixel circuits for display and life-science applications, demonstrating how modelling supports low-power design.
Prof Radu A. Sporea, also from the University of Surrey, examined off-state behaviour in polysilicon contact-controlled transistors, an area where subtle effects can have outsized impact on performance and reliability.
These sessions emphasised the importance of cross-disciplinary dialogue. Modelling advances often emerge when insights from fabrication, measurement, and application are brought together.
In complex technical environments, effective collaboration depends on clarity and shared understanding. Structured approaches to effective communication in construction and engineering help ensure that specialists across domains can work towards common goals without misunderstanding.
Knowledge exchange as a driver of innovation
Reflecting on the event, Dr Bal Virdee highlighted the importance of workshops like MOS-AK in accelerating progress.
By bringing academics, researchers, and industry professionals together, the workshop created space for open discussion and potential collaboration. Bridging the gap between theoretical research and practical application ensures that device modelling continues to meet the demands of modern electronics.
This emphasis on shared learning aligns with broader professional values around transparency and accountability. In education and training contexts, trust is reinforced through mechanisms such as a training provider reviews page, which captures outcomes and experience rather than aspiration alone.
Networking and the value of informal exchange
The workshop concluded with a networking reception, providing an informal setting for delegates to continue discussions sparked during the sessions. These conversations often extend the value of formal presentations, allowing ideas to be tested, refined, and contextualised.
For early-career engineers in particular, such environments offer exposure to emerging research directions and potential career pathways. This reinforces the long-term relevance of technical disciplines and supports arguments around why engineering and trade careers remain a strong long-term choice in rapidly evolving technology landscapes.
Looking ahead
The MOS-AK Workshop offered more than a snapshot of current research. It highlighted the questions that will define device modelling over the coming years: how to balance accuracy with usability, how to integrate quantum and cryogenic effects, and how open tools can support innovation at scale.
As microelectronics continues to underpin critical infrastructure, healthcare, and communications, the importance of robust, transparent modelling will only increase. Events like this play a vital role in ensuring the engineering community remains aligned, informed, and ready to meet those challenges.
Join the conversation
Delegates were invited to contribute to a voting poll on which area of electron device modelling they find most promising, spanning compact models, quantum dot models, biomedical sensors, and cryogenic characterisation.
The discussion does not end with the workshop. Ongoing dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning will shape how today’s research becomes tomorrow’s technology. We encourage readers to share their perspectives on the future of device modelling and the challenges they see emerging across their own work.
