Overcoming sub-threshold swing degradation in sub 10 nm technologies

Scaling of the transistor dimensions has led to a higher transistor density that requires high power dissipation. Due to the physical limit, the traditional metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) becomes less and less appropriate for future development. By either replacing the gate oxide or the whole device mechanism, high-k dielectric materials, tunneling field effect transistor (TFET), and negative capacitance field effect transistor (NCFET) are providing solutions to reduce the subthreshold swing (SS). The purpose of this paper is to provide detailed information to candidates that may replace the traditional MOSFET in the future. This paper gives an overview and comment on the future trend of these three technologies.