Thesis defence: Vertical III-V Nanowire Tunnel Field-Effect Transistors: A Circuit Perspective

Publicerad: 2023-11-27

The energy scaling of integrated circuits has reached its limit because the operating voltage of Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFET) based switches has reached its minimum value. MOSFETs are limited by thermionic emission and cannot achieve a subthreshold swing (SS) below 60 mV/decade at room temperature. Tunnel Field-Effect Transistors (TFET), which operate on field modulation of band-to-band tunneling (BTBT), can deliver SS less than 60 mV/dec and are considered as a potential alternative for MOSFETs to further scale down the supply voltage.

This thesis work studied the capabilities and limitations of n-type TFETs based on III-V vertical nanowires and their circuit implementation. TFETs were fabricated using vertical InAs/GaSb or InAs/InGaAsSb/GaSb nanowires of high material
quality, and, switching from InAs/GaSb to InAs/InGaAsSb/GaSb allowed for optimization of the heterojunction, resulted in improvement of the device metrics. Along with heterostructure optimization, the dopant introduction and concentration were systematically varied to achieve devices with record performance. These devices achieved a minimum subthreshold swing of 42 mV/dec and a record high I₆₀ of 1.2 ?A/?m at a drive voltage of 0.5 V. The stability and high yield of the process allowed for statistical study of correlations between important device parameters such as I₆₀, on-current, subthreshold swing, and off-current. The implementation of circuits was also aided by sufficient process repeatability and yield.

To implement circuits based on these TFETs, the fabrication process was optimized with introduction of mesa and nonorganic spacers. Voltage based circuits in the following configurations were implemented: a current mirror, a diode connected inverter and a cascode buffer. Individual TFETs in the circuit operate well below 60 mV/dec operation with minimum achieved subthreshold swing (SS) of 30 mV/dec at drain voltage of 400 mV. In circuit operation, individual devices were connected via FEOL and are biased at 300 mV supply voltage, with an input frequency of 200 kHz. To explore current-mode based design principle, a current conveyor circuit was implemented, which exhibits large-signal voltage gain of 0.89 mV/mV, a current gain of 1 nA/nA and an operating frequency of 320 kHz.

Additionally, self-heating in a vertical nanowire device was examined using pulsed IV methodology. The results indicate that the intrinsic temperature rises to 385 K when the device is operated in DC at room temperature (300 K) with a thermal time constant of 1 ?s. We find that self-heating is a limiting factor for device performance.

Link to thesis i LU Research Portal:

https://portal.research.lu.se/en/publications/vertical-iii-v-nanowire-tunnel-field-effect-transistors-a-circuit

Zoom link:

https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/67084030192

Thesis defence: Taming Cloud Integrated Systems in the Wild

Publicerad: 2023-11-16

This thesis unfolds a journey into the realm of cloud integrated systems. More specifically, it explores the transformational role of diverse cloud infrastructure, be it public or private, centralized or edge-based, when integrated into traditional systems. In this transformation, the cloud assumes the vital role of controllers. Inevitably, this shift towards cloud integration also brings into play the expansive network that acts as the connective tissue between traditional systems and the cloud, adding another layer of complexity to the newly formed integrated system.

In this work, we shed light on the less-talked-about side of cloud integration. Beyond the evident benefits of this transition, we face an array of challenges that emerge along with the introduction of the cloud and its accompanying network. Adapting traditional system deployment to this new era of cloud-based computing is one such necessity. The advent of virtualization and container technologies introduces additional requirements for software management. Shared infrastructure mandates stricter control over incoming traffic. Furthermore, real-world networks often act unpredictably, straying from their simulated behaviours. Even the much-touted 5G technology has not completely lived up to the expectations set a decade ago.

However, the ambition of this thesis does not lie in the enhancement of existing infrastructure, the improvement of cloud technologies, or the acceleration of network speed. Rather, it aims to accept and work within the limitations and flaws inherent in both cloud and network infrastructures. The primary goal is to recognize the chal- lenges these systems introduce, embrace their imperfections, and adapt our systems to work effectively with the realities of our imperfect cloud and unpredictable network environments.

To accomplish this, the thesis undertake a comprehensive analysis of two types of cloud integrated systems?Cloud RAN and Cloud Control System. A central focus is the evaluation of the practicality of implementing these systems using existing infrastructure. This evaluation is based on rigorous simulation as well as hands-on testbed experiments. In response to the insights gained from these assessments, the thesis proposes an innovative framework, built on a microservice architecture, to de- ploy cloud services more effectively for these systems. This framework is designed to mitigate the network latency impact brought on by unpredictable, ?wild? environments. It does so by incorporating specialized prediction and estimation services, thereby enhancing the adaptability of these systems to real-world challenges.

Zoom link:
https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/68329380667

PhD thesis defence: Iman Ghotbi

Publicerad: 2023-11-02

This thesis primarily focuses on the design and implementation of a low-voltage, low-power RFFE tailored for direct sampling receivers in 5G FR1 applications. The RFFE consists of a balun low-noise amplifier (LNA), a Q-enhanced filter, and a programmable gain amplifier (PGA). The balun-LNA employs noise cancellation, current reuse, and gm boosting for wideband gain and input impedance matching. Leveraging FD-SOI technology allows for programmable gain and linearity via body biasing. The LNA's operational state ranges between high-performance and high-tolerance modes, which are apt for sensitivity and blocking tests, respectively. The Q-enhanced filter adopts noise-cancelling, current-reuse, and programmable Gm-cells to realize a fourth-order response using two resonators. The fourth-order filter response is achieved by subtracting the individual response of these resonators. Compared to cascaded and magnetically coupled fourth-order filters, this technique maintains the large dynamic range of second-order resonators. Fabricated in 22-nm FD-SOI technology, the RFFE achieves 1%-40% fractional bandwidth (FBW) adjustability from 1.7 GHz to 6.4 GHz, 4.6 dB noise figure (NF) and an OOB third-order intermodulation intercept point (IIP3) of 22 dBm. Furthermore, concerning the implementation uncertainties and potential variations of temperature and supply voltage, design margins have been considered and a hybrid calibration scheme is introduced. A combination of on-chip and off-chip calibration based on noise response is employed to effectively adjust the quality factors, Gm-cells, and resonance frequencies, ensuring desired bandpass response. To optimize and accelerate the calibration process, a reinforcement learning (RL) agent is used.
 

Link to thesis in LUCRIS:

https://portal.research.lu.se/en/publications/reconfigurable-receiver-front-ends-for-advanced-telecommunication

Zoom link:

https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/64532196838

Thesis defence: Zhongyunshen Zhu

Publicerad: 2023-10-02

Vertical III-V Nanowire Transistors for Low-Power Logic and Reconfigurable Applications

With rapid increase in energy consumption of electronics used in our daily life, the building blocks ? transistors ? need to work in a way that has high energy efficiency and functional density to meet the demand of further scaling. III-V channel combined with vertical nanowire gate-all-around (GAA) device architecture is a promising alternative to conventional Si transistors due to its excellent electrical properties in the channel and electrostatic control across the gate oxide in addition to reduced footprint. Based on this platform, two major objectives of this thesis are included: 1) to improve the performance of III-V p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and tunnel FETs (TFETs) for low-power digital applications; 2) to integrate HfO2-based ferroelectric gate onto III-V FETs (FeFETs) and TFETs (ferro-TFETs) to enable reconfigurable operation for high functional density..

Link to thesis in LU Research Portal.

Zoom link. Zoom ID:  64195800022

Thesis defence: Navya Sri Garigapati

Publicerad: 2023-09-19

III-V-based Indium gallium arsenide is a promising channel material for high-frequency applications due to its superior electron mobility property. In this thesis, InGaAs/InP heterostructure radio frequency MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors) are designed, fabricated, and characterized. Various spacer technologies, from high dielectric spacers to air spacers, are implemented to reduce parasitic capacitances, and fT/fmax are evaluated. Three types of RF MOSFETs with different spacer technologies are fabricated in this work.

Link to thesis:

https://portal.research.lu.se/en/publications/radio-frequency-ingaas-mosfets

Zoom link:

https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/66856880417