Future Trends in Microelectronics: From Nanophotonics to Sensors to Energy

Scrolled Si/SiGe Heterostructures as Building Blocks for Tube-Like Field-Effect Transistors

N. Demarina* and D. Grützmacher

IBN-1, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany

1.   Introduction

Microelectronic technology has entered almost every segment of our lives. Today, there are microprocessors in more than 20% of consumer products and it is expected that the share will increase with ongoing miniaturization. However, with increasing demand for higher performance, it is expected that mainstream technology will branch off aiming for speed, functionality, computing capacity or packaging density, depending on the application. Currently and certainly for another 10 years to come, the rapid improvement in computing performance will be achieved by the continued downscaling of dimensions of Si-based components. The downscaling of complimentary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices decreases their capacitance, resulting in higher circuit operating speeds and lower power consumption. Further, downscaling increases the number of components in the circuit and enhances parallel operation capability, resulting in another increase in circuit performance. Recent CMOS downscaling trends have been very aggressive. Advanced CMOS technology has already reached gate length L_G of 65 nm, Intel recently announced volume production of 45 nm technology, and working transistors with L_G = 6 nm have been reported.¹ This gate length is only twenty times of the atomic distance between Si atoms. ...