Theoretical Model of a New Type Tunneling Transistor

Abstract

A tunneling transistor without heterojunction as a theoretical design, or more precisely controlled electron current transmission by barrier potential, is under consideration. The electrons from the conduction band of the source tunnel through the forbidden gap $E_g$ of the channel to the conduction band of the drain. The tunneling current $J$ calculations made at helium temperature for the example InAs-InAs-InAs, Au-GaSe-Au and Al-AlN-Al structures show that for a constant source-drain voltage, $V_C$, of several mV, changes in the gate voltage, $V_G$, applied to the channel within the voltage range of 0 - $E_g/$2e change $J$ by even 10 orders of magnitude. Unlike the existing solutions such as tunnel field-effect-transistor (TFET), the proposed device uses the change of $V_G$ (gate voltage), i.e. the change of the electrostatic potential in the channel, to modify the imaginary wave vector $k_z$ of tunnel current electrons. Consequently, the gate voltage controls the damping force of the electrons wave functions and thus the magnitude of the tunneling current, $J$. The effect of increasing temperature, T, on $J(V_G)$ relation was also tested. It was found that only in structures with a wide forbidden channel gap this effect is insignificant (at least up to T=300 K).