Impact of Pocket Layer on Linearity and Analog/RF Performance of InAs-GaSb Vertical Tunnel Field-Effect Transistor

• Published in: Journal of electronic materials 2023-04, Vol.52 (4), p.2772-2779
• Main Authors: Saravanan, M., Parthasarathy, Eswaran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Electronics and Microelectronics; Field effect transistors; Gallium antimonide; Gallium antimonides; Indium arsenides; Instrumentation; Materials Science; Optical and Electronic Materials; Original Research Article; Radio frequency; Semiconductor devices; Solid State Physics; Transconductance; Transistors; Tunnels
• ISSN: 0361-5235; 1543-186X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11664-023-10239-7

In this study, the analog and radio frequency (RF) functionality of an indium arsenide-gallium antimonide (InAs-GaSb) tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) with an InAs pocket layer is examined. The potential advantages and disadvantages of TFETs in comparison to their traditional counterparts are thoroughly analyzed. The conductivity of the channel is modulated by an InAs pocket layer. The InAs-GaSb vertical TFET (VTFET) with an InAs pocket layer (device B) yields higher ON-current (6.39 × 10 −6 A/μm) compared to the InAs-GaSb VTFET (device A) (5.18 × 10 −8 A/μm). Additionally, device B offers low OFF-current (2.26 × 10 −17 A/μm) compared with device A (1.14 × 10 −16 A/μm). The channel resistance values are 2 × 10 −5 Ω·cm for device B and 5 × 10 −3 Ω·cm for device A. The transconductance ( g m ) values for device B and device-A are 0.78 mS/μm and 0.37 mS/μm, respectively. Device B has a cutoff frequency ( f T ) of 37 GHz whereas that for device A is only 22 GHz at V GS  = 0.6 V. Compared to standard TFETs, the f T of the proposed design is 15 GHz higher owing to increased transconductance. The ON-state loss can be reduced by lowering the channel resistance. The InAs pocket layer in InAs-GaSb VTFETs makes them ideal candidates for low-power RF and analog applications.