Reconfigurable Nanowire Electronics-Enabling a Single CMOS Circuit Technology

Reconfigurable nanowire transistors are multifunctional switches that fuse the electrical characteristics of unipolar n- and p-type field effect transistors (FETs) into a single universal type of four-terminal device. In addition to the three known FET electrodes the fourth acts as an electric select signal that dynamically programs the desired polarity. The transistor consists of two independent charge carrier injection valves as realized by two gated Schottky junctions integrated within an intrinsic silicon nanowire. The transport properties that provide unipolar n- and p-type behavior will be elucidated. Further, solutions to the major device challenges toward the implementation of these novel transistors at the circuit level are proposed, by exploiting specific nanowire geometries and dimensions. These include methods that deliver equal on-currents and symmetric transfer characteristics for n- and p-type, and that eliminate supra-linear output characteristics at low source-drain biases. We will further show that circuits built of these symmetric transistors successfully exhibit complementary operation. Finally, the prospects in building reconfigurable circuits and systems will be briefly summarized.