Flexible semi-around gate silicon nanowire tunnel transistors with a sub-kT/q switch

Journal Article · Sun Jun 14 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4922354· OSTI ID:22412927

Lee, Myeongwon; Jeon, Youngin; Kim, Minsuk; Kim, Sangsig ^[1]

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1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713 (Korea, Republic of)

Tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs) with a subthreshold swing (SS) < 60 mV/dec are expected to be active devices in low-power flexible systems, potentially lowering operational voltage by virtue of steep switching behavior via band-to-band tunneling. In silicon (Si) channel materials, however, it still remains a challenge to obtain SS smaller than 60 mV/dec. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate the sub-60 mV/dec operation of a flexible semi-around gate TFET on a plastic substrate using Si nanowires (SiNWs) as the channel material. With the combined advantages of selectively thinned SiNW channels (width ∼ 15 nm and height ∼ 40 nm) and high-κ (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ∼ 7 nm) gate dielectric, in conjunction with an abrupt degenerate source junction, the device with a channel length of ∼500 nm exhibits a minimal SS of ∼42 mV/dec at room temperature. Moreover, mechanical bendability of the device indicates that it has stable and good fatigue properties, providing an important step towards the realization of steep-slope switches for low-power and energy-efficient flexible electronics.

• OSTI ID: 22412927
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 22 Vol. 117; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
FATIGUE
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
NANOWIRES
SILICON
SUBSTRATES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
TUNNEL EFFECT