Carrier transport in strained p-channel field-effect transistors with diamondlike carbon liner stressor

Abstract

We report the investigation of carrier backscattering characteristics of compressively strained p-channel field-effect transistors (p-FETs) with diamondlike carbon (DLC) liner stressor. p-FETs strained by the DLC liner exhibit up to ∼40% enhancement in carrier injection velocity νinj. However, a slight reduction in ballistic efficiency B sat is also observed in the DLC stressed p-FETs. Despite the B sat degradation, an overall boost in saturation drive current I Dsat is achieved. For a DLC stressed p-FET with gate length L G =90 nm, a ∼36% enhancement in IDsat is observed with a ∼40% improvement in νinj. The dependence of I Dsat on νinj and carrier mobility μ is also discussed in this letter. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.