Performance limits of graphene-ribbon-based field effect transistors

TL;DR

This paper investigates the fundamental performance limits of graphene-ribbon-based field effect transistors using atomistic models, highlighting how device design influences conductance and switching behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed atomistic analysis of graphene ribbon transistors, emphasizing the impact of constriction design on performance limits and contact effects.

Findings

Properly tailored constrictions improve conductance.

Device performance is less dependent on electrode chemistry.

Promising on-conductance and subthreshold swing values are achievable.

Abstract

The performance of field effect transistors based on an single graphene ribbon with a constriction and a single back gate are studied with the help of atomistic models. It is shown how this scheme, unlike that of traditional carbon-nanotube-based transistors, reduces the importance of the specifics of the chemical bonding to the metallic electrodes in favor of the carbon-based part of device. The ultimate performance limits are here studied for various constriction and metal-ribbon contact models. In particular we show that, even for poorly contacting metals, properly taylored constrictions can give promising values for both the on-conductance and the subthreshold swing.