Performance analysis of nanoscale GeSn MOSFETs for mixed-mode circuit applications

Using extensive numerical analysis we investigate the impact of Sn ranging 0-6% in compressively strained GeSn on insulator (GeSnOI) MOSFETs for mixed-mode circuit performance at channel lengths (Lg) ranging 100-20 nm with channel thickness values of 10 and 5 nm. Our results reveal that 10 nm thick Ge0.94Sn0.06 channel MOSFETs produce improvement of peak transconductance gm, peak gain Av, peak cut-off frequency fT and maximum frequency of oscillations fmax by 80.5%, 18.8%, 83.5% and 81.7%, respectively compared with equivalent GeOI device at Lg =20 nm. Furthermore, such devices exhibit 78.8% increase in ON-current ION while yield 44.5% reduction in delay as compared to Ge control devices enabling them attractive for logic applications. Thinning of the channel thickness from 10 to 5 nm increases peak Av, peak transconductance efficiency and reduces output conductance and OFF-current IOFF while degrading other parameters in all GeSnOI and control Ge devices.