Robert Dutton (engineer)

Robert Dutton (engineer) was an American engineer known for his contributions to the field of integrated circuit (IC) process and device simulation. He was a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University for many years.

Dutton's research focused on the development and application of numerical simulation tools for the design and optimization of semiconductor devices and fabrication processes. His work has been highly influential in advancing the understanding of complex physical phenomena occurring during IC manufacturing, leading to improvements in device performance and reliability.

He was instrumental in the development of the SUPREM and PISCES simulation programs, widely used tools in the semiconductor industry and academia. SUPREM simulates the fabrication processes involved in creating ICs, while PISCES simulates the electrical behavior of the resulting devices. These tools allowed engineers to predict the outcome of fabrication processes and device characteristics before actual fabrication, significantly reducing the time and cost associated with IC development.

Dutton authored and co-authored numerous journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters on semiconductor device modeling and simulation. He also served on the editorial boards of several leading journals in the field.

His work has had a lasting impact on the field of microelectronics, contributing to the development of more advanced and efficient integrated circuits. He mentored many students who went on to become leaders in the semiconductor industry and academia.