A Review of Sharp-Switching Band-Modulation Devices

This paper reviews the recently-developed class of band-modulation devices, born from the recent progress in fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) and other ultrathin-body technologies, which have enabled the concept of gate-controlled electrostatic doping. In a lateral PIN diode, two additional gates can construct a reconfigurable PNPN structure with unrivalled sharp-switching capability. We describe the implementation, operation, and various applications of these band-modulation devices. Physical and compact models are presented to explain the output and transfer characteristics in both steady-state and transient modes. Not only can band-modulation devices be used for quasi-vertical current switching, but they also show promise for compact capacitorless memories, electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, sensing, and reconfigurable circuits, while retaining full compatibility with modern silicon processing and standard room-temperature low-voltage operation.