Tunneling field-effect transistors (TFETs) with subthreshold swing (SS) less than 60 mV/dec

We have demonstrated a 70-nm n-channel tunneling field-effect transistor (TFET) which has a subthreshold swing (SS) of 52.8 mV/dec at room temperature. It is the first experimental result that shows a sub-60-mV/dec SS in the silicon-based TFETs. Based on simulation results, the gate oxide and silicon-on-insulator layer thicknesses were scaled down to 2 and 70 nm, respectively. However, the ON/OFF current ratio of the TFET was still lower than that of the MOSFET. In order to increase the ON current further, the following approaches can be considered: reduction of effective gate oxide thickness, increase in the steepness of the gradient of the source to channel doping profile, and utilization of a lower bandgap channel material.