Ballistic transport in nanoscale self-switching devices

Abstract

Using the Monte Carlo method, a type of semiconductor nano-device called self-switching device (SSD), which has diode-like I-V characteristics, was simulated. After analyzing the microscopic transport behavior of the carriers, we show that the ballistic effects exist in the SSDs when the channel length of the device is extremely short (~120 nm). Furthermore, we show that the ballistic effect doubles the average drift velocity of the carriers (to ~6. 0×107 cm/s) in short-channel SSDs, which decreases the transit time. This implies that when the dimensions are decreased to nanoscale length, the SSD can operate much faster because the ballistic effect increases the operation speed of the device. Moreover, because of the ballistic transport, the energy efficiency may also be improved. © 2011 Science China Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.