Coupled NEGF-PSO method for maximizing the current ratio of CNTFETs based on oxide thickness optimization

Abstract

A method for designing carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNTFETs) with optimized oxide thickness is proposed herein. The optimum oxide thickness that provides the maximum current ratio (on/off ratio) is calculated for each design. The effect of oxide thickness on the on/off ratio is investigated by treating it as the independent variable and calculating the on-state and off-state currents. Particle swarm optimization is used to determine the exact optimum oxide thickness to achieve the maximum current ratio, which is one of the most important parameters in switching applications. The optimum insulator thickness is calculated for CNTFETs with different chiral vectors, insulator types, channel lengths and source/drain doping levels. For further study of the CNTFETs, performance parameters including cutoff frequency and transconductance of the devices are also calculated and investigated. The results show that CNTFET designers should select the oxide thickness very carefully, not simply based on reported values in other works. Each design requires its own optimum oxide thickness which provides the maximum on/off current ratio only for that design.