Long Channel Carbon Nanotube as an Alternative to Nanoscale Silicon Channels in Scaled MOSFETs

Abstract

Long channel carbon nanotube transistor (CNT) can be used to overcome the high electric field effects in nanoscale length silicon channel. When maximum electric field is reduced, the gate of a field‐effect transistor (FET) is able to gain control of the channel at varying drain bias. The device performance of a zigzag CNTFET with the same unit area as a nanoscale silicon metal‐oxide semiconductor field‐effect transistor (MOSFET) channel is assessed qualitatively. The drain characteristic of CNTFET and MOSFET device models as well as fabricated CNTFET device are explored over a wide range of drain and gate biases. The results obtained show that long channel nanotubes can significantly reduce the drain‐induced barrier lowering (DIBL) effects in silicon MOSFET while sustaining the same unit area at higher current density.