Quantum transport in nanowire p-type Schottky barrier MOSFETs with the k·p method

P-type Schottky barrier nanowire metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors are simulated with a rigorous quantum mechanical approach. The multi-band k·p method is employed for the description of hole transport in the silicon region while the parabolic effective mass Hamiltonian is used for the metallic source and drain. A characteristic transition from entirely thermionic transport to entirely tunneling transport is observed, with the transition being sensitively dependent on the channel orientation. Due to the orientation-dependent tunneling current injection, the [111] oriented devices show the most superior performance, in terms of subthreshold slope, threshold voltage variation, and on-current. Tunneling effective mass, quantization energy, and Schottky barrier thickness are examined as the major factors that influence on the orientation-dependent current injection into the channel.