Towards 5 nm and Beyond: Understanding Nanoscale Transistors for Future Electronics

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With 5-nm gate lengths for transistors only a decade away, industry and university research in electronic devices has shifted its focus to new transistor architectures in silicon, such as the multi-gate transistor, or “FinFET,” and to new 2D materials, such as graphene, MoS2, and phosphorene. Such devices and materials are governed by non-classical and non-intuitive principles. The purpose of the research program is hence twofold: (1) to use semi-classical and quantum-mechanical approaches to create understanding that will help identify the best possible paths for future electronics, thereby contributing to the worldwide effort to extend “Moore's law” to the year 2028 and beyond; (2) to train Canadian highly qualified personnel (HQP) in state-of-the-art and emerging technologies for electronics. Both activities will help position Canada to participate in and benefit from opportunities in electronics as it continues its evolution into the nanoscale. The program has already led to several research contributions, all appearing in leading journals, on the use of new materials for electronics, such as carbon nanotubes and graphene. It has also led to new academic programs and new curricula to train and educate Canadian students in state-of-the-art and emerging electronics, the details of which have also been published so that others in the research community can implement similar strategies. All of the HQP trained by the program have been well placed, with strong technical career paths in electronics at leading institutions and leading industry. The program involves industrial collaboration from world-leading firms in electronics, as well as international academics, enhancing not only the research activities but also the training environment and opportunities for HQP. Ongoing work will consider both medium- and long-range alternatives to conventional silicon, with an emphasis on the analog and radio-frequency (RF) performance of new devices. Specific activities will include: 1(a) understanding the impact of “fin quantization” on the RF metrics of FinFET transistors as scaling continues; 1(b) assessing the importance of scattering in FinFETs as scaling continues; 1(c) considering new fin materials beyond silicon; 2(a) assessing the impact of strain to enhance the performance of MoS2; and 2(b) assessing the RF potential of phosphorene. Overall, the program encompasses state-of-the-art research, industrial collaboration, and HQP training in an area of growing Canadian and international importance.