Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2025

The Effect of Anodization Parameters on the Aluminum Oxide Dielectric Layer of Thin-Film Transistors
Published on: May 24, 2020
Reduced subthreshold swing in a vertical tunnel FET using a low-work-function live metal strip and a low-k material
Kalai Selvi Kanagarajan1, Dhanalakshmi Krishnan Sadhasivan2
1Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Government College of Engineering, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India.
Abstract:
In this research paper, a vertical tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) structure containing a live metal strip and a material with low dielectric constant is designed, and its performance metrics are analyzed in detail. Low-k SiO2 is incorporated in the channel-drain region. A live molybdenum metal strip with low work function is placed in a high-k HfO2 layer in the source-channel region. The device is examined by the parameters I off, subthreshold swing, threshold voltage, and I on/I off ratio. The introduction of a live metal strip in the dielectric layer closer to the source-channel interface results in a minimum subthreshold slope and a good I on/I off ratio. The low-k material at the drain reduces the gate-to-drain capacitance. Both the SiO2 layer and the live metal strip show excellent leakage current reduction to 1.4 × 10-17 A/μm. The design provides a subthreshold swing of 5 mV/decade, which is an excellent improvement in TFETs, an on-current of 1.00 × 10-5 A/μm, an I on/I off ratio of 7.14 × 1011, and a threshold voltage of 0.28 V.
Related Concept Videos
MOSFET: Depletion Mode
The primary characteristic of depletion-mode MOSFETs is their ability to conduct current between the drain and source terminals without gate bias. This inherent conductivity...
Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The...
Field Effect Transistor
Fermi Level Dynamics
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
MOSFET: Enhancement Mode
In their basic form, enhancement-mode MOSFETs are typically non-conductive when the gate-source voltage (Vgs) is zero. This default 'off' state means no...
MOSFET
In an n-MOSFET, the structure includes n-type source and drain...

