EVIDENCE OF 2-DIMENSIONAL CARRIER CONFINEMENT IN THIN N-CHANNEL SOI GATE-ALL-AROUND (GAA) DEVICES

The effect of two-dimensional electron confinement is observed in thin -film, gate-all-around SOI transistors operated at low temperature. Ph ysical 21) confinement in a thin silicon film using the silicon/gate o xide potential barrier (in contrast to heterojunction or electrostatic confinement) is shown for the first time. In these devices volume inv ersion gives rise to a 2DEG, and the population of the energy subbands can be controlled by the gate voltage. The position of transconductan ce peaks and valleys, corresponding to the population of different sub bands as the gate voltage is increased, is in good agreement with theo retical predictions.