Condition for the negative capacitance effect in metal-ferroelectric-insulator-semiconductor devices

Area of Science:

• Solid State Physics
• Materials Science
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• Negative capacitance field effect transistors (NCFETs) offer potential for steeper subthreshold slopes.
• Stabilizing negative capacitance is crucial for achieving voltage amplification in NCFETs.
• Existing models require refinement to accurately describe NCFET behavior across all operating regimes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a detailed study of NCFETs.
• To establish the conditions for stabilizing negative capacitance for enhanced voltage amplification.
• To develop and validate an analytical model for NCFET operation.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical modeling based on Landau's theory of ferroelectrics.
• Integration of the surface potential model for comprehensive analysis.
• Experimental fabrication and characterization of NCFETs with a P(VDF-TrFE)/SiO2 gate stack.

Main Results:

• The study identifies the critical conditions for stabilizing negative capacitance.
• Voltage amplification across the active layer is demonstrated to be achievable.
• The proposed analytical model shows strong agreement with experimental NCFET data.

Conclusions:

• The presented theory accurately describes NCFET operation and negative capacitance stabilization.
• Experimental validation confirms the model's predictive power.
• This work provides a robust framework for designing and optimizing NCFETs for future electronic applications.