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Nanowire Transistors with Bound-Charge Engineering

Raphaël J. Prentki, Mohammed Harb, Lei Liu, and Hong Guo
Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 247704 – Published 8 December 2020
Physics logo See synopsis: Harnessing Bound Charge in Semiconductors
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Abstract

Low-dimensional electronic systems such as silicon nanowires exhibit weak screening which is detrimental to the performance and scalability of nanodevices, e.g., tunnel field-effect transistors. By atomistic quantum transport simulations, we show how bound charges can be engineered at interfaces of Si and low-κ oxides to strengthen screening. To avoid compromising gate control, low-κ and high-κ oxides are used in conjunction. In Si nanowire tunnel field-effect transistors, we demonstrate that bound charge engineering increases the on-state current by orders of magnitude, and the combination of oxides yields minimal subthreshold swing. We conclude that the proposed bound-charge engineering paves a way toward improved low-power transistors.

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  • Received 10 July 2020
  • Accepted 27 October 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.247704

© 2020 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied PhysicsGeneral Physics

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Harnessing Bound Charge in Semiconductors

Published 8 December 2020

By controlling the bound charge in a nanowire transistor, researchers hope to improve the performance of these semiconductor devices. 

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Authors & Affiliations

Raphaël J. Prentki1,*, Mohammed Harb2,†, Lei Liu2, and Hong Guo1

  • 1Department of Physics, McGill University, 3600 rue University, Montréal, Québec H3A 2T8, Canada
  • 2NanoAcademic Technologies, Suite 802, 666 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, Québec H3A 0B2, Canada

  • *raphael.prentki@mail.mcgill.ca
  • Present address: Ernst & Young, Bureau 2300, 900 boulevard de Maisonneuve Ouest, Montréal, Québec H3A 0A8, Canada.

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Issue

Vol. 125, Iss. 24 — 11 December 2020

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