Technology exploration for graphene nanoribbon FETs

Graphene nanoribbon FETs (GNRFETs) are promising devices for beyond-CMOS nanoelectronics because of their excellent carrier transport properties and potential for large scale processing and fabrication. This paper combines atomistic quantum transport modeling with circuit simulation to perform technology exploration for GNRFET circuits. A quantitative study of the effects of variations and defects on the performance and reliability of GNRFET circuits is also presented. Simulation results indicate that whereas GNRFET circuits promise higher performance, lower energy consumption, and comparable reliability at similar operating points to scaled CMOS circuits, they are more susceptible to variations and defects. The results also motivate significant engineering, modeling, and simulation challenges facing the device and CAD communities involved in graphene electronics research.