Systematic modulation of negative-differential transconductance effects for gated p+ -i-n+ silicon ultra-thin body transistor

We demonstrate the precise control of the negative-differential transconductance (NDT) effects on a gated p(+) -i-n(+) Si ultra-thin body transistor. The device clearly displays the N-shape transfer characteristic (i.e., NDT effect) at room temperature, and the NDT behavior is fully based on the gatemodulation of the electrostatic junction characteristics. The position and the current level of the peak in the NDT region are systematically controllable when modulating the potential profile at the channel-source junction. Namely, the NDT effect can be systematically modulated through modifying the band-to-band tunneling condition by controlling both gate- and drain-bias voltages. In-depth analyses on the transport characteristics and transport mechanisms are discussed. Published by AIP Publishing.