High Current Density InAsSb/GaSb Tunnel Field Effect Transistors

Summary, in English

Steep-slope devices, such as tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs), have recently gained interest

due to their potential for low power operation at room temperature. The devices are based on inter-band

tunneling which could limit the on-current since the charge carriers must tunnel through a barrier to traverse

the device. The InAs/GaSb heterostructure forms a broken type II band alignment which enables inter-band

tunneling without a barrier, allowing high on-currents. We have recently demonstrated high current density

(Ion,reverse = 17.5 mA/µm) nanowire Esaki diodes and in this work we investigate the potential of InAs/GaSb

heterostructure nanowires to operate as TFETs. We present device characterization of InAs 0.85 Sb 0.15 /GaSb

nanowire TFETs, which exhibit record-high on-current levels.