ABSTRACT
The exponential decrease in transistor dimensions has resulted in an increase in microprocessor performance over technology generations. However, the conventional device dimension scaling cannot continue forever. Shrinkage of MOSFET dimensions results in short channels. By definition, a short channel exists when the gate length is on the order of the length of the depletion region of the source and drain junctions. In this regime, several detrimental effects such as velocity saturation, threshold voltage roll-off, drain-induced barrier lowering, mobility degradation and hot carrier effects come into play. Therefore, in order to improve the electrostatic integrity of a transistor, innovative architectures are introduced to increase the gate to channel capacitive coupling with respect to the source/drain to channel coupling. On the other hand, novel materials also play important roles in mitigating the mobility degradation in the short-channel regime. These novel material-based advanced MOSFETs and their performance in the circuit may further be investigated in terms of economic viability by a cost optimization approach. This chapter reflects the facts and facets of these novel materials and architectures in modern electronic devices.
