Self-Consistent Enhanced S/D Tunneling Implementation in a 2D MS-EMC Nanodevice Simulator

Micromachines (Basel). 2021 May 22;12(6):601. doi: 10.3390/mi12060601.

Abstract

The implementation of a source to drain tunneling in ultrascaled devices using MS-EMC has traditionally led to overestimated current levels in the subthreshold regime. In order to correct this issue and enhance the capabilities of this type of simulator, we discuss in this paper two alternative and self-consistent solutions focusing on different parts of the simulation flow. The first solution reformulates the tunneling probability computation by modulating the WKB approximation in a suitable way. The second corresponds to a change in the current calculation technique based on the utilization of the Landauer formalism. The results from both solutions are compared and contrasted to NEGF results from NESS. We conclude that the current computation modification constitutes the most suitable and advisable strategy to improve the MS-EMC tool.

Keywords: DGSOI; FinFET; Landauer formalism; direct source-to-drain tunneling; multi-subband ensemble Monte Carlo; non-equilibrium Green’s functions; tunneling probability.