A Comprehensive Graphene FET Model for Circuit Design

During the last years, graphene-based field-effect transistors (GFETs) have shown outstanding RF performance; therefore, they have attracted considerable attention from the electronic devices and circuits communities. At the same time, analytical models that predict the electrical characteristics of GFETs have evolved rapidly. These models, however, have a complexity level that can only be handled with the help of a circuit simulator. On the other hand, analog circuit designers require simple models that enable them to carry out fast hand calculations, i.e., to create circuits using small-signal hybrid - π models, calculate figures of merit, estimate gains, pole-zero positions, and so on. This paper presents a comprehensive GFET model that is simple enough for being used in hand calculations during circuit design and at the same time, it is accurate enough to capture the electrical characteristics of the devices in the operating regions of interest. Closed analytical expressions are provided for the drain current I_D, small-signal transconductance gain g_m, output resistance r_o, and parasitic capacitances C_gs and C_gd. In addition, figures of merit, such as intrinsic voltage gain A_V, transconductance efficiency g_m/I_D, and transit frequency f_T are presented. The proposed model has been compared to a complete analytical model and also to measured data available in current literature. The results show that the proposed model follows closely to both the complete analytical model and the measured data; therefore, it can be successfully applied in the design of GFET analog circuits.