The use of TCAD to investigate design and applications of devices based on SOI technology has been reviewed. SOI technology allows integration of high performance innovative devices that can push forward the present frontiers of the CMOS downscaling. As one moves from 0.1 μm generation and below, SOI offers a number of advantages in low power, communication circuits and system-on-chip and may ultimately replace bulk CMOS technology. SOI technology improves per formance over bulk CMOS technology by 25-35 per cent, equivalent to two years of bulk CMOS advances and offers the low power advantages. Indeed some perceived SOI disadvantages (self-heating, hot carriers and early breakdown) are no longer such a significant problem for operation at low voltage. The importance of using strained-Si alongside SOI technology to yield significant improvements in mobility has been highlighted.

Inspec keywords: technology CAD (electronics); MOSFET; wafer bonding; silicon; silicon-on-insulator

Other keywords: early breakdown; system-on-chip; self-heating; wafer bonding; TCAD; bulk CMOS technology; SOI MOSFET; silicon-on-insulator; hot carriers; communication circuits; Si

Subjects: Insulated gate field effect transistors