Carrier transport in strained p-channel field-effect transistors with diamondlike carbon liner stressor

Abstract

We report the investigation of carrier backscattering characteristics of compressively strained p-channel field-effect transistors (p-FETs) with diamondlike carbon (DLC) liner stressor. p-FETs strained by the DLC liner exhibit up to ∼40% enhancement in carrier injection velocity υinj. However, a slight reduction in ballistic efficiency Bsat is also observed in the DLC stressed p-FETs. Despite the Bsat degradation, an overall boost in saturation drive current IDsat is achieved. For a DLC stressed p-FET with gate length LG=90 nm, a ∼36% enhancement in IDsat is observed with a ∼40% improvement in υinj. The dependence of IDsat on υinj and carrier mobility μ is also discussed in this letter.