Semi-analytical model for carbon nanotube and graphene nanoribbon transistors

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes and graphene provide high carrier mobility for ballistic transport, high carrier velocity for fast switching, and excellent mechanical and thermal conductivity. As a result, they are widely considered as next generation candidate materials for nanoelectronics. In this thesis, I first propose a physics-based semi-analytical model for Schottky-barrier (SB) carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene nanoribbon (GNR) transistors. The model reduces the computational complexity in the two critical but time-consuming steps, namely the calculation of the tunneling probability and the self-consistent evaluation of the surface potential in the transistor channel. Since SB-type CNT and GNR transistors exhibit ambipolar conduction that is not preferable in digital applications, I further propose a semi-analytical model for the double-gate transistor structure that is able to control the ambipolar conduction in-field. Future directions, including the modeling of new CNT and GNR devices and novel circuits based on the in-field controllability of ambipolar conduction, will also be described.