We report on room-temperature negative transconductance (NTC) in axial Si/Ge hetero-nanowire tunneling field-effect transistors (TFETs). The NTC produces a current peak-to-valley ratio > 45, a high value for a Si-based device. We characterize the NTC characteristics over a range of gate VG and drain VD voltages, finding that NTC persists down to VD = –50 mV. The physical mechanism responsible for the NTC is the VG-induced depletion in the p-Ge section that eventually reduces the maximum electric field that triggers the tunneling ID, as confirmed via three-dimensional TCAD simulations.
Revised: February 16, 2015 |
Published: August 11, 2014
Citation
Zhang P., S.T. Le, X. Hou, A. Zaslavsky, D.E. Perea, S.A. Dayeh, and S.T. Picraux. 2014.Strong Room-temperature Negative Transconductance In An Axial Si/Ge Hetero-nanowire Tunneling Field-effect Transistor.Applied Physics Letters 105, no. 6:Article No. 062106.PNNL-SA-103792.doi:10.1063/1.4892950