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Axial SiGe heteronanowire tunneling field-effect transistors
1Department of Physics and School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA. son_le@brown.edu
Nano Letters
|November 2, 2012
Summary
We developed novel germanium/silicon heteronanowire tunneling field-effect transistors (TFETs) for enhanced performance. These devices show excellent on/off ratios and operate efficiently in both tunneling and standard field-effect transistor modes.
Area of Science:
- Semiconductor device physics
- Nanotechnology
- Materials science
Background:
- Tunneling field-effect transistors (TFETs) offer potential for low-power electronics.
- Achieving high performance and suppressing ambipolarity in TFETs remains a challenge.
- Germanium/silicon heterostructures are promising for bandgap engineering.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present silicon-compatible trigated p-Ge/i-Si/n-Si axial heteronanowire tunneling field-effect transistors (TFETs).
- To investigate the device performance in both TFET and standard nanowire FET modes.
- To demonstrate the benefits of bandgap engineered axial nanowires for device enhancement.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of trigated p-Ge/i-Si/n-Si axial heteronanowire TFETs.
- Electrical characterization of device performance, including on/off current ratios and subthreshold slopes.
- Three-dimensional Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) simulations to confirm device operation.
Main Results:
- Achieved high on-state current (I(ON) ~ 2 μA/μm) with fully suppressed ambipolarity.
- Demonstrated excellent subthreshold slope (SS ~ 140 mV/decade over 4 decades, lowest SS ~ 50 mV/decade).
- Observed dual-mode operation: efficient TFET mode and standard nanowire FET mode with good I(ON)/I(OFF) ratio.
Conclusions:
- Silicon-compatible heteronanowire TFETs enable high-performance electronic devices.
- Bandgap engineering in axial nanowires significantly improves transport characteristics.
- The dual-mode operation highlights the versatility of these heteronanowire devices.
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