Gate leakage variability in nano-scale CMOS devices is investigated
through advanced modelling and simulations of planar, bulk-type
MOSFETs. The motivation for the work stems from the two of the most
challenging issues in front of the semiconductor industry -
excessive leakage power, and device variability - both being
brought about with the aggressive downscaling of device dimensions
to the nanometer scale. The aim is to deliver a comprehensive tool
and understanding for the assessment of gate leakage variability in
realistic nano-scale CMOS transistors. The book describes a 3D
modelling and simulation framework for the study of device
variability, and presents a case study of gate leakage variability
in a 25 nm square gate n-type MOSFET, taking into account the
combined effect of random dopant fluctuations and oxide thickness
fluctuations. An important chapter is dedicated to the analysis of
the non-abrupt band-gap and permittivity transition at the Si/SiO2
interface, and reveals a strong impact on subband quantisation, and
enhancement of capacitance and leakage, relative to simulations
with an abrupt band-edge transition at the interface.
Stanislav Markov is a research associate in the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at the University of Glasgow, UK. His work on statistical variability in nano-scale electron devices investigates the impact that discreteness of charge and matter have on the performance and leakage characteristics of such devices.
