Complementary metal oxide semiconductor-compatible junction field-effect transistor characterization

Abstract

We report on the fabrication and electrical characterization of a vertical junction-gate field-effect transistor (JFET) that is compatible with all complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technologies. It can be used as a buried load for an enhancement n-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (n-MOSFET), replacing the p-MOSFET within the standard CMOS inverter configuration and resulting in a 40% net area economy in standard cells. To be entirely CMOS process compatible, this JFET device differs from others in the literature in that dopant concentrations in the n substrates (1014) and in the p wells (1015) are substantially lower. For integrated-circuit applications, one seeks to use the JFET with the smallest area to minimize parasitic capacitances and to maximize switching speeds. However, at these concentration levels, the dc current–voltage characteristics depend critically on the lateral dimension of the JFET's square channel. Above 10 μm, the characteristics are pentode-like and similar to those of a classic MOSFET. Below 10 μm, the channel is naturally pinched-off, and for reverse gate bias, the small JFETs are triode-like. There is also a nonreciprocity between the source and the drain when the source-to-drain voltage polarity is changed, which is due to the distance between the channel and the electrode collecting the carriers. When its gate is forward-biased, the small JFETs behave as bipolar transistors. Depending on source-to-drain voltage polarities, I–V characteristics exhibit saturation effects caused by base-widening phenomena at the JFET's drain contact.