Performance evaluation of linearity and intermodulation distortion of nanoscale GaN-SOI FinFET for RFIC design

Abstract

This work presents, performance evaluation of linearity and intermodulation distortion of novel nanoscale Gallium Nitride (GaN) Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) N-channel FinFET (n-FinFET) for RFIC design and results so obtained are simultaneously compared with conventional (Si-based) FinFET and bulk GaN-based FinFET with 8 nm gate length. It is found that the proposed device enhances on-current (ION) by four times and thereby transconductance, subthreshold slope, threshold voltage, surface potential, and energy band (conduction band energy and valence band energy) profiles have been improved at ultra-low voltage power supply (VDS = 0.1 V). Thus, the improved electrical performance of GaN-SOI FinFET makes it suitable for low power and high-performance CMOS circuits. Also a further investigative study has been performed on the linearity behavior of GaN-SOI FinFET and the outcomes of the study have been compared with the results of the GaN Bulk FinFET and the conventional Silicon FinFET. The SOI device shows better linear performance in the likes of higher-order voltage and current intercept points as VIP2, VIP3, IIP3, and 1-dB compression point with lesser harmonic distortions as HD2, HD3 and, IMD3. Thus, the results with higher efficiency, better linearity, and distortionless performance pave the way for RFIC design.