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How to Use this Manual

 

This document is structured in such a way so that it is a user's guide and a reference guide at the same time. You should read the following paragraphs carefully to guarantee that you spend only time for reading those chapters containing the information you are looking for.

If you never ran SESAME before from your account, then you definitely should start to read Chapter 3. Chapter 3.1 contains information regarding OpenVMS AXP platforms, Chapter 3.2 contains information for Digital UNIX environments and Chapter 3.3 points out how to run SESAME under OpenVMS VAX.

If you prefer learning by doing, you should now read one of the sections in Chapter 4. In this Chapter some easy applications for different analysis methods (SEM, EMP, TEM, AES) are described step by step, from the generation of an input and a geometry file to the visualization and evaluation of the simulation results. After studying this chapter and running the described test examples you may continue with the examples described in Chapter gif. There you can find the description of some of the more sophisticated and realistic examples. By running and modifying these examples you may learn very quickly understanding the supported features and the appropriate handling of SESAME.

For modifying and expanding the aforementioned simple examples you may need some more information concerning the general options provided by SESAME. You will find such information in an easy and readable form in Chapter 6. Here it is described how one can specify special features concerning the electron beam, like spot size, divergence, etc., the x-ray and electron detector, the geometry and composition of the target, and the output of the generated data. Additionally, Chapter 9 contains the reference part of this manual explaining all namelists and their variables. In this section you can also find more specific information concerning the default values, the data types and the data ranges of all these input variables.

If the SESAME version you have access to is integrated into the VISTA TCAD framework then the generation of simulation geometries as well as the writing of input decks are graphically supported. In such a case it is really recommended to use the provided graphical user interface (GUI). Information on how to invoke and use the GUI can be found in Chapter 5.

If you need help in visualizing or modifying data generated during a simulation some information on available postprocessing tools is given in Chapter 10. For a more detailed introduction to these tools it is recommended to read the appropriate sections in the complete manuals. See also Chapter 10 to find out where you can get a copy of such a manual.

You have to direct some attention to a proper interpretation of simulation results. Since the scattering of electrons and the generation of x-rays, Auger electrons, etc. is a statistical process - both in nature and in simulation - it is necessary to estimate the statistical error of the simulation results to avoid misinterpretations. Therefore, an attempt is made in Chapter 7 to provide to you some basic hints needed for chosing the proper number of simulated electrons in dependence of the requested output data.

If you have questions concerning the files which are needed for or were generated during your simulation then you might find some information in Chapter 8 which containes information about all these kinds of different files which are either required to run SESAME successfully or which are generated during or at the end of the program execution. The average user is referred to this chapter only in cases where the program cannot read or write to files. The interested user may find some useful information concerning file formats there.

The information given in the appendix, containing more detailed information concerning the implemented physical models, is normally not needed for a successful application of SESAME. However, in some special cases it might be important to know more about advantages and disadvantages and also about restrictions of the different physical models. Such information can be obtained by the appendix A.



next up previous contents
Next: Before You Run Up: No Title Previous: Introduction



Horst Wagner
Tue Mar 19 10:24:55 MET 1996