CxFET: A novel steep subthreshold swing CMOS featuring a tunnel-injection bipolar transistor and MOSFET device complex

A novel complex MOSFET that enabled a steeper subthreshold swing than the theoretical diffusion-based limit was developed. By forming a tunnel junction in a drain diffusion layer of the MOSFET, multiple devices, i.e., a tunnel-injection bipolar transistor, a resistor, and a MOSFET, were able to be successfully integrated in a single scaled MOSFET. Applying an enhanced input signal, Vg, to the tunnel junction, stimulated tunneling carrier injection, which resulted in a steep subthreshold swing even if the supply voltage was small (∼0.2 V).