Evolution of the MOS transistor - From conception to VLSI

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Proc. IEEE; (United States)

OSTI ID:6298070

Sah, C T

Historical developments of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor (MOSFET) during the last sixty years are reviewed, from the 1928 patent disclosures of the field-effect conductivity modulation concept and the semiconductor triodes structures proposed by Lilienfeld to the 1947 Shockley-originated efforts which led to the laboratory demonstration of the modern silicon MOSFET thirty years later in 1960. A survey is then made of the milestones of the past thirty years leading to the latest submicron silicon logic CMOS (Complementary MOS) and BICMOS (Bipolar-Junction-Transistor CMOS combined) arrays and the three-dimensional and ferroelectric extensions of Dennard's one-transistor dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell. Status of the submicron lithographic technologies (deep ultra-violet light, X-ray, electron-beam) are summarized. Future trends of memory cell density and logic gate speed are projected. Comparisons of the switching speed of the silicon MOSFET with that of silicon bipolar and GaAs field-effect transistors are reviewed. Use of high-temperature superconducting wires and GaAs-on-Si monolithic semiconductor optical clocks to break the interconnect-wiring delay barrier is discussed. Further needs in basic research and mathematical modeling on the failure mechanisms in submicron silicon transistors at high electric fields (hot electron effects) and in interconnection conductors at high current densities and low as well as high electric fields (electromigration) are indicated.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (US)
• OSTI ID: 6298070
• Journal Information: Proc. IEEE; (United States), Vol. 78:10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
42 ENGINEERING
JUNCTION TRANSISTORS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
MOS TRANSISTORS
SUPERCONDUCTING WIRES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FAILURES
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
HIGH TEMPERATURE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MODULATION
MOSFET
REVIEWS
SILICON
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
USES
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMIMETALS
TRANSISTORS
WIRES
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