Suppression of tunneling rate fluctuations in tunnel field-effect transistors by enhancing tunneling probability

This paper discusses the impact of the tunneling probability on the variability of tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs). Isoelectronic trap (IET) technology, which enhances the tunneling current in TFETs, is used to suppress the variability of the ON current and threshold voltage. The simulation results show that suppressing the tunneling rate fluctuations results in suppression of the variability. In addition, a formula describing the relationship between the tunneling rate fluctuations and the electric field strength is derived based on Kane's band-to-band tunneling model. This formula indicates that the magnitude of the tunneling rate fluctuations is proportional to the magnitude of the fluctuations in the electric field strength and a higher tunneling probability results in a lower variability. The derived relationship is universally valid for any technologies that exploit enhancement of the tunneling probability, including IET technology, channel material engineering, heterojunctions, strain engineering, etc.