Quantum-mechanical effects in trigate SOI MOSFETs

A self-consistent Poisson-Schro/spl uml/dinger solver is used to calculate the current in trigate n-channel silicon-on-insulator transistors with sections down to 2 nm /spl times/ 2 nm. The minimum energy of the subbands and the threshold voltage increase as the cross-sectional area of the device is reduced and as the electron concentration in the channel is increased. As a consequence, the threshold voltage is higher than predicted by classical Poisson solvers. The current drive is diminished, and the subthreshold slope is degraded, especially in the devices with the smallest cross sections.