Fundamental constraints for the length of the MOSFET conduction channel based on the realistic form of the potential barrier

Abstract

The work estimates the minimum channel length of the MOSFET transistor, which is the bacis device of modern electronics. Taking into account the real shape of potential barrier in the channel shows that the electron tunnels through a region significantly shorter than the physical length of the channel in the presence of drain voltage, and so the available estimate of the minimum quantum constraint channel length in silicon MOSFET, 1.2 nm, is significantly underestimated. The fact makes it clear why after reaching 5 nm working lengths of the channel it was impossible to reach the long-declared values of 3 nm under maintaining the proper level of functionality of the transistor. The estimates made in this work confirm that the fundamental scaling limits of silicon MOSFETs have almost been reached.