Collaborative: Mixed Anion and Cation Based Transistor Architecture for Ultra-Low Power Complementary Logic Applications

研究目标和方法：本研究的目标是基于材料、器件和电路共同探索基于混合阴离子和混合阳离子化合物半导体的晶体管，以实现节能计算。该方法是 a) 对 n 沟道混合阴离子 (InAsxSb1-x) 量子阱晶体管和 p 沟道混合阳离子 (InyGa1-ySb) 晶体管进行实验研究，以解决互补逻辑和 RF 电路中的动态功耗问题； b) 基于混合阴离子和阳离子隧道晶体管的实验研究，以解决逻辑和嵌入式存储电路中的待机功耗问题；以及 c) 开发设计工具包，以实现新兴器件的异构电路实现。智力价值：该提案的主要科学价值是：i）利用混合阴离子和混合阳离子锑化物材料系统中优异的电子和空穴传输特性，提供超低功率晶体管解决方案。我们研究了具有不同 As 和 Sb 摩尔分数的混合阴离子材料 InAsxSb1-x，以实现高电子迁移率 (13,000 cm2V-1s-1)，从而演示 n 沟道量子阱 FET (QWFET)。我们探索混合阳离子材料 InyGa1-ySb，通过改变 In 和 Ga 摩尔分数来最大化空穴迁移率 (2,000 cm2V-1s-1)，从而实现带隙工程 p 沟道 QWFET；器件层设计的主要目标是为 n 沟道和 p 沟道 QWFET 实现通用的高 k 电介质栅极解决方案； ii) 利用混合阴离子-阳离子锑化物材料系统中交错带边排列的可用性和可调性，探索具有陡峭开关特性的隧道晶体管（TFET）架构，以解决待机能耗问题； iii) 通过使用 QWFET 实现速度关键的高活动逻辑电路和使用隧道 FET 的低活动系数电路来探索异构系统。这项研究将扩展我们对基于混合阴离子和混合阳离子的材料系统、新型 QWFET 和 TFET 器件配置以及节能逻辑元件、互连结构和嵌入式存储器的实现的材料科学的基本理解。更广泛的影响：拟议的研究直接解决了半导体行业对技术扩展和解决能源效率问题的长期解决方案的需求。这项研究的结果将直接影响“绿色”的未来。纳米电子学和多核处理器架构设计。基础材料、新颖设备架构和节能电路的成功开发产生了更广泛的影响，与当今可用的电子产品相比，能耗降低了几个数量级，可以催生健康监测和纳米医学应用所需的新一代植入式医疗电子产品。在整个项目中，主要结果将通过专门的 WIKI 门户网站和现有的宾夕法尼亚州立大学 MRSEC 相关外展渠道进行传播。

Research objectives and approaches: The objective of this research is materials, device and circuit based co-exploration of mixed-anion and mixed-cation compound semiconductor based transistors for energy-efficient computing. The approach is a) experimental investigation of n-channel mixed anion (InAsxSb1-x) quantum-well transistors and p-channel mixed cation (InyGa1-ySb) transistors to address dynamic power consumption in complementary logic and RF circuits; b) experimental investigation of mixed-anion and cation based tunnel transistors to address stand-by power consumption in logic and embedded memory circuits, and c) development of design toolkit to enable heterogeneous circuit implementation with emerging devices. Intellectual merit: The key scientific merits of this proposal are: i) Harnessing the excellent electron and hole transport properties in mixed-anion and mixed-cation antimonide material system to provide ultra-low power transistor solutions. We investigate mixed-anion material, InAsxSb1-x with varying As and Sb mole fraction, to achieve high electron mobility (13,000 cm2V-1s-1) to demonstrate n-channel quantum-well FETs (QWFETs). We explore mixed-cation materials, InyGa1-ySb to maximize hole mobility (2,000 cm2V-1s-1) by varying In and Ga mole fractions to enable band-gap engineered p-channel QWFETs; Device layer design is done with the primary goal of achieving a common high-k dielectric gate solution for both n-channel and p-channel QWFETs; ii) Harnessing the availability and tunability of staggered band-edge lineup in the mixed anion-cation antimonide material system to explore tunnel transistor (TFET) architecture with steep switching characteristics to address stand-by energy consumption; iii) Exploration of a heterogeneous system via implementation of speed critical, high activity logic circuits using QWFETs and low activity factor circuits using Tunnel FETs. This investigation will expand our fundamental understanding of the material science of mixed-anion and mixed-cation based material systems, novel QWFET and TFET device configurations and implementation of energy efficient logic elements, interconnect fabric and embedded memory. Broader Impact: The proposed research directly addresses the quest in the semiconductor industry for longer term solutions to technology scaling and addressing energy efficiency. The outcome of this research will have a direct impact on the future of ?green? nanoelectronics and many-core processor architecture design. A broader impact of successful development of the underlying materials, novel device architectures and energy efficient circuits with several orders of magnitude reduced energy consumption than today?s available electronics can usher in a new generation of implantable medical electronics needed for health monitoring and nanomedicine applications. Throughout the project, the key results will be disseminated via a dedicated WIKI web portal and via existing Penn State MRSEC-related outreach channels.