Low-frequency noise in quasi-ballistic monolithic Al–Ge–Al nanowire field effect transistors

In this work, Al2O3-passivated, monolithic, and crystalline Al–Ge–Al heterostructure nanowire field effect transistors (FETs) with Ge channel lengths ranging from 18 to 826 nm are analyzed from a low-frequency noise perspective. 1/f and random telegraph noise (RTN) are analyzed in an accumulation mode, where the hole channel is formed by applying a back-gate potential VG. The normalized power spectral density of drain current fluctuations of 1/f noise (SID/ID2) at medium currents follows nearly an 1/ID trend. 1/f noise is analyzed within both the mobility and carrier number fluctuation models (MFM and CNFM), respectively. Taking the MFM into account, the Hooge noise parameter α spreads in the interval of 1.5 × 10−4 to 4 × 10−2, with lower values for shorter devices. Using the same data and the CNFM, the density of interface states Dit in the Al2O3/GexOy/Ge system was estimated using the transconductance extracted from the quasi-static transfer I/V characteristics. The extracted Dit values range from 5 × 109 to 3 × 1012 cm−2 eV−1. Contact noise has also been observed in some devices at high currents. RTN analyzed in time domain exhibits a relative RTN amplitude in the 0.3%–20% range. Capture and emission time constants as a function of VG exhibit a typical behavior for metal oxide semiconductor FETs. The extracted noise parameters are comparable with Ge and III–V nanodevices of top-down and bottom-up technologies.