Title :
Impact ionization MOS (I-MOS)-Part I: device and circuit simulations
Author :
Gopalakrishnan, K. ; Griffin, P.B. ; Plummer, J.D.
Abstract :
One of the fundamental problems in the continued scaling of transistors is the 60 mV/dec room temperature limit in the subthreshold slope. In part I this work, a novel transistor based on the field-effect control of impact-ionization (I-MOS) is explored through detailed device and circuit simulations. The I-MOS uses gated-modulation of the breakdown voltage of a p-i-n diode to switch from the OFF state to the ON state and vice-versa. Device simulations using MEDICI show that the I-MOS has a subthreshold slope of 5 mV/dec or lower and I/sub ON/>1 mA//spl mu/m at 400 K. Simulations were used to further explore the characteristics of the I-MOS including the transients of the turn-on mechanism, the short-channel effect, scalability, and other important device attributes. Circuit mode simulations were also used to explore circuit design using I-MOS devices and the design of an I-MOS inverter. These simulations indicated that the I-MOS has the potential to replace CMOS in high performance and low power digital applications. Part II of this work focuses on I-MOS experimental results with emphasis on hot carrier effects, germanium p-i-n data and breakdown in recessed structure devices.
Keywords :
IMPATT diodes; MOSFET; avalanche photodiodes; hot carriers; impact ionisation; p-i-n diodes; semiconductor device breakdown; semiconductor device models; 400 K; I-MOS inverter; MEDICI; avalanche photodiode; breakdown voltage; circuit mode simulations; field-effect control; gated-modulation; hot carriers; impact ionization MOS; impact ionization avalanche transit time; modulated breakdown; p-i-n diode; short-channel effect; subthreshold slope; turn-on mechanism; Avalanche photodiodes; Hot carriers; IMPATT diodes; Impact ionization; MOSFETs; Semiconductor device modeling; p-i-n diodes; 5mV/dec; Avalanche; MOSFET; avalanche photodiode (APD); gate control of impact ionization; germanium; hot carriers; impact-ionization (I-MOS); impact-ionization avalanche transit-time (IMPATT); kT/q; low static power; modulated breakdown; nonlinearity; p-i-n; silicon; subthreshold slope;
Journal_Title :
Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TED.2004.841344