Non-quasi-static effects in graphene field-effect transistors under high-frequency operation

Abstract

We have investigated the non-quasi-static (NQS) effects in graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs), which are relevant for GFET operation at high frequencies as a result of significant carrier inertia. A small-signal NQS model is derived from the analytical solution of drift-diffusion equation coupled with the continuity equation, which can be expressed in terms of modified Bessel functions of the first kind. The NQS model can be conveniently simplified to provide an equivalent circuit of lumped elements ready to be used in standard circuit simulators. Taking into account only first-order NQS effects, accurate GFET based circuit simulations up to several times the cut-off frequency (fT) can be performed. Notably, it reduces to the quasi-static (QS) approach when the operation frequency is below ~fT/4. To validate the NQS model, we have compared its outcome against simulations based on a multisegment approach consisting of breaking down the channel length in N equal segments described by the QS model each one.