A Perspective on Next-Generation Silicon Devices

The minimum size of metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors assessed in terms of their circuit performance, the possibility of quantum-mechanical engineering of the electronic properties of silicon through the modification of the energy band with mechanical stress, Brillouin zone folding, and artificially built-in nanometer-scale potential as well as through the utilization of low dimensional electrons, and single electronics as a quantum limit of nano-power electronics are reviewed. Furthermore, effects of the statistical fluctuation of device edge definition in fabrication and dopant distribution on the minimum size of silicon devices are discussed and the importance of dopant location control is emphasized.