2D Canonical Approach for Beating the Boltzmann Tyranny Using Memory

TL;DR

This paper introduces a universal theoretical framework demonstrating that intrinsic memory effects in nanometric transistors can naturally surpass the fundamental Boltzmann subthreshold limit, enabling ultra-low-power switching.

Contribution

The authors develop a quantum transport model incorporating charge-trapping mechanisms that show how memory effects can break the Boltzmann subthreshold barrier in transistors.

Findings

Memory effects can enable sub-thermal switching behavior.

Charge-trapping mechanisms dynamically renormalize the conduction band edge.

The model aligns with key experimental features and offers design principles.

Abstract

The 60 mV$/$decade subthreshold limit at room temperature, coined as the Boltzmann tyranny, remains a fundamental obstacle to the continued down-scaling of conventional transistors. While several strategies have sought to overcome this constraint through non-thermal carrier injection, most rely on ferroelectric-based or otherwise material-specific mechanisms that require complex fabrication and stability control. Here, we develop a universal theoretical framework showing that intrinsic memory effects in nanometric field-effect transistors can naturally bypass this limit. Within the Landauer-B\"uttiker quantum transport formalism, we incorporate charge-trapping mechanisms that dynamically renormalize the conduction band edge. The resulting analytical expression for the subthreshold swing explicitly links memory dynamics to gate efficiency, revealing that a reduced carrier generation rate or enhanced trapping activity leads to sub-thermal switching, thus breaking the Boltzmann barrier. The model captures key experimental features and provides clear, generalizable design principles, establishing memory-assisted transistors as a robust pathway toward ultra-low-power and multifunctional electronic architectures.