Harald Gossner

A Tunnel FET for

We propose a modified structure of tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET), called the sandwich tunnel barrier FET (STBFET). STBFET has a large tunneling cross-sectional area with a tunneling distance of ~2 nm. An orientation-dependent nonlocal band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) model was employed to investigate the device characteristics. The feasibility of the STBFET realization using a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-compatible process flow has been shown using advanced process calibration with Monte Carlo implantation. STBFET gives a high ION, exceeding 1 mA/μm at IOFF of 0.1 pA/μm with a subthreshold swing below 40 mV/dec. The device also shows better static and dynamic performances for sub-1-V operations. STBFET shows a very good drain current saturation, which is investigated using an ab initio physics-based BTBT model. Furthermore, the simulated ION improvement is validated through analytical calculations. We have also investigated the physical root cause of the large voltage overshoot of TFET inverters. The previously reported impact of Miller capacitance is shown to be of lower importance; the space-charge buildup and its relaxation at the channel drain junction are shown to be the dominant effect of large voltage overshoot of TFETs. The STBFET are shown to have negligible voltage overshoots compared with conventional TFETs.

V_{DD}

Improving the on-current has been the focus of enhancing the performance of tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs). In this paper, we show that the increase in I_ON is not sufficient to improve the circuit performance with TFETs. As TFETs show a drain-barrier voltage in their output characteristics below which the drain current drastically reduces, the rise/fall time significantly increases. This reduces the dynamic noise margin and limits the performance achievable from TFETs. We show that, in TFETs, the delay of the circuit is determined by the rise/fall time rather than by the propagation delay. The saturation voltage is much higher compared with that of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices, leading to a lower gain and a lower static noise margin in digital circuits, as well as impeding the performance of latch/regenerative circuits. We present a design space comprising of I_ON, a drain saturation voltage, and a drain threshold voltage for minimizing the propagation delay of circuits using TFETs. Finally, for the same off-current and speed of operation, TFET devices tend to suffer from a higher gate capacitance compared with CMOS devices. If this behavior is not taken into account during the circuit design, these devices (although designed for low-power applications) can dissipate more power at the same speed of operation than CMOS counterparts.

Scaling Below 0.6 V With a CMOS-Comparable Performance

We report on the thermal failure of fin-shaped field-effect transistor (FinFET) devices under the normal operating condition. Pre- and post failure characteristics are investigated. A detailed physical insight on the lattice heating and heat flux in a 3-D front end of the line and complex back end of line-of a logic circuit network-is given for bulk/silicon-on-insulator (SOI) FinFET and extremely thin SOI devices using 3-D TCAD. Moreover, the self-heating behavior of both the planar and nonplanar devices is compared. Even bulk FinFET shows critical self-heating. Layout, device, and technology design guidelines (based on complex 3-D TCAD) are given for a robust on-chip thermal management. Finally, an improved framework is proposed for an accurate electrothermal modeling of various FinFET device architectures by taking into account all major heat flux paths.

Insights Into the Design and Optimization of Tunnel-FET Devices and Circuits

This paper reviews electrostatic discharge (ESD) investigations on laterally diffused MOS (LDMOS) and drain-extended MOS (DeMOS) devices. The limits of the safe operating area of LDMOS/DeMOS devices and device physics under ESD stress are discussed under various biasing conditions and layout schemes. Specifically, the root cause of early filament formation is highlighted. Differences in filamentary nature among various LDMOS/DeMOS devices are shown. Based on the physical understanding, device optimization guidelines are given. Finally, an outlook on technology scaling is presented.

Physical Insight Toward Heat Transport and an Improved Electrothermal Modeling Framework for FinFET Architectures

Power law time-to-breakdown voltage acceleration is investigated down to ultra-thin oxides (1.1 nm) in the ESD regime in inversion and accumulation. Breakdown modes, oxide degradation and device drifts under ESD like stress are discussed as function of the oxide thickness. The consequent impacts on the ESD design window are presented.

A Review on the ESD Robustness of Drain-Extended MOS Devices

In this paper, the optimization issues of various drain-extended devices are discussed for input/output applications. The mixed-signal performance, impact of process variations, and gate oxide reliability of these devices are compared. Lightly doped drain MOS (LDDMOS) was found to have a moderate performance advantage as compared to shallow trench isolation (STI) and non-STI drain-extended MOS (DeMOS) devices. Non-STI DeMOS devices have improved circuit performance but suffer from the worst gate oxide reliability. Incorporating an STI region underneath the gate-drain overlap improves the gate oxide reliability, although it degrades the mixed-signal characteristics of the device. The single-halo nature of DeMOS devices has been shown to be effective in suppressing the short-channel effects.

Reliability aspects of gate oxide under ESD pulse stress

The present work is focussed on the trade off between conventional RF ESD protection concepts optimized in terms of capacitive load and the frequently discussed RF ESD codesign idea with ESD protection skilfully integrated into RF circuit design. A narrow and a broadband RF test circuit were developed to put the benchmark on a firm basis. RF and ESD experiments are discussed, showing where the higher effort for the codesign approach starts to pay off.

Part I: Mixed-Signal Performance of Various High-Voltage Drain-Extended MOS Devices

In this paper, the impact of process/technology co-optimization on System-on-Chip (SoC) performance using detailed 3-D process/device simulations has been studied for nanoscale FinFET devices. We investigated challenges in FinFET device optimization and scaling while using standard ion implantation process for both overlap and underlap designs. Moreover, an implant-free (IF) complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process is discussed for better scalability with improved performance. FinFETs designed using this IF process shows a ~2× improvement in static random-access memory and digital input/ output performance. Additionally, a modification to the IF process is proposed, which further helps in achieving an improved logic and analog performance for overall SoC development.

RF ESD protection strategies: Codesign vs. low-C protection

Highly efficient ESD protection structures with a sustaining voltage >40 V are realized in a smart power technology. They guarantee excellent ESD protection at high voltage pins without the danger of transient latch-up. Compared to the vertical n-p-n transistor, a shift of the sustaining voltage of 20 V has been achieved purely by layout modification of the buried layer. The high ESD performance has been proven at product level by an ESD hardness of >8 kV (HBM).

Toward System on Chip (SoC) Development Using FinFET Technology: Challenges, Solutions, Process Co-Development & Optimization Guidelines

ESD protection has been an inevitable component of integrated circuits since the invention of semiconductor devices. A huge number of concepts and protection devices have been designed and optimized for this purpose by ESD engineers. Even it seems to be a simple functionality just to shunt a discharge current during an ESD event, almost each step in the shrinking path needs new adjustment of the protection circuits and sometimes even implementation of totally new concepts. Entering the sub 100 nm regime the protection development goes much beyond the development of a specific optimized protection element. A sophisticated protection network has to be designed which covers both the IO circuit and the core region, where low oxides thickness and low junction breakdown voltages lead to hard constraints on the maximum voltage overshoot during ESD. In especially designs with multiple power supply domains will complicate the ESD supply protection concept extremely. To achieve a good ESD robustness it will be necessary to consider the ESD protection as integral part of the IC development starting from the concept phase. To support this and to extract the necessary data for an ESD optimization an IC level ESD simulation approach is presented which analyses the critical discharge paths across the chip.