In this paper we discuss the possibilities of using strained Si/SiGe h
etero-epitaxy in building complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMO
S) devices and circuits. The effect of strain on the band structure is
discussed, and the growth of high-quality strained layers is describe
d. Enhanced transport properties of electrons in Si under tensile stra
in and in SiGe under compressive strain have been observed and will be
discussed. An optimized Si/SiGe layer structure for CMOS operation is
described and its potential performance is analyzed and compared to a
standard Si CMOS. We predict approximately a three-fold reduction in
power consumption, 30% increase in speed performance, and 50% increase
in packing density.