Check TemperatureMonitor is unstructured in Charge

[marc-flex]

Greptile Overview

Updated On: 2025-10-01 16:14:14 UTC

Summary

This PR corrects the monitor validation logic in Charge simulations within the TCAD module. The change modifies which monitor types require `unstructured=True` in the validation routine.

Specifically, the validation now checks SteadyPotentialMonitor and TemperatureMonitor instead of the previous combination of SteadyPotentialMonitor and SteadyFreeCarrierMonitor. This means:

• TemperatureMonitor must now be unstructured in Charge simulations
• SteadyFreeCarrierMonitor can now be structured (unstructured=False)
• SteadyPotentialMonitor continues to require unstructured=True

The change aligns the code implementation with the existing comment that states "only Temperature and Potential monitors can be structured". Previously, the code was inconsistent with this documentation, incorrectly treating SteadyFreeCarrierMonitor as requiring unstructured configuration while not enforcing this requirement for TemperatureMonitor.

This validation occurs in the HeatChargeSimulation class and affects how users configure monitors in multi-physics simulations that combine heat transfer and charge transport physics. The change ensures proper computational backend compatibility for different monitor types in the TCAD charge simulation framework.

Important Files Changed

Changed Files

Filename	Score	Overview
tidy3d/components/tcad/simulation/heat_charge.py	4/5	Fixed monitor validation logic to correctly check TemperatureMonitor instead of SteadyFreeCarrierMonitor for unstructured requirement

Confidence score: 4/5

• This PR is safe to merge with minimal risk as it fixes a validation inconsistency
• Score reflects a straightforward logic correction that aligns code with documented behavior
• No files require special attention beyond the single modified validation routine

Sequence Diagram

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant HeatChargeSimulation
    participant Validators
    participant GridSpec
    participant Structures
    participant Monitors
    participant BoundarySpec
    participant Sources

    User->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Create simulation instance"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>Validators: "_post_init_validators()"
    Validators->>HeatChargeSimulation: "_estimate_charge_mesh_size()"
    
    User->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Validate structures"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>Validators: "check_unsupported_geometries()"
    Validators->>Structures: "Check geometry dimensions"
    Structures-->>Validators: "Return validation result"
    Validators-->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Validation complete"
    
    User->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Validate monitors"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>Validators: "_monitors_cross_solids()"
    Validators->>HeatChargeSimulation: "_check_cross_solids()"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>Structures: "Check intersecting media"
    Structures-->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Return intersection data"
    HeatChargeSimulation-->>Validators: "Return validation result"
    Validators-->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Monitor validation complete"
    
    User->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Check charge simulation setup"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>Validators: "check_charge_simulation()"
    Validators->>HeatChargeSimulation: "_check_simulation_types()"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>BoundarySpec: "Check voltage BCs"
    BoundarySpec-->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Return BC count"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>Monitors: "Check charge monitors"
    Monitors-->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Return monitor types"
    HeatChargeSimulation-->>Validators: "Return simulation type validation"
    Validators-->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Charge validation complete"
    
    User->>HeatChargeSimulation: "Plot simulation properties"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>HeatChargeSimulation: "plot_property()"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>Sources: "plot_sources()"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>Monitors: "plot_monitors()"
    HeatChargeSimulation->>BoundarySpec: "plot_boundaries()"
    BoundarySpec->>HeatChargeSimulation: "_construct_heat_charge_boundaries()"
    HeatChargeSimulation-->>User: "Return plotted axes"

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Diff Coverage

Diff: origin/develop...HEAD, staged and unstaged changes

• tidy3d/components/tcad/simulation/heat_charge.py (100%)

Summary

• Total: 1 line
• Missing: 0 lines
• Coverage: 100%