Tunneling Transistors Based on Graphene and 2-D Crystals

As conventional transistors become smaller and thinner in the quest for higher performance, a number of hurdles are encountered. The discovery of electronic-grade 2-D crystals has added a new “layer” to the list of conventional semiconductors used for transistors. This paper discusses the properties of 2-D crystals by comparing them with their 3-D counterparts. Their suitability for electronic devices is discussed. In particular, the use of graphene and other 2-D crystals for interband tunneling transistors is discussed for low-power logic applications. Since tunneling phenomenon in reduced dimensions is not conventionally covered in texts, the physics is developed explicitly before applying it to transistors. Though we are in an early stage of learning to design devices with 2-D crystals, they have already been the motivation behind a list of truly novel ideas. This paper reviews a number of such ideas.