Next-generation CMOS devices

Fig. 3 Next-generation CMOS devices need a breakthrough in high-K films. TiAlOx or Ti02/Al203 superlattice layers push the research frontier to enable the next-generation CMOS devices and embedded energy-storage capacitors for implantable microchips...

Remarkably, the size of these Ge islands is in the range of the gate length and width of next generation CMOS transistors [7]. Accordingly, it has been proposed to use the strained Si on top of islands to create a channel for electrons and the Ge island itself to create a channel for holes [18]. This concept of a dot based field effect transistor (Dot-FET) would harbor fast p- and n-type devices on the same... 

Another important result is the dependence of the band-gap of semiconducting carbon nanotubes on the tube diameter. The band-gap of a semiconducting nanotube is inversely proportional to its diameter [22]. Because carbon nanotubes of different geometries exhibit different electrical characteristics, the connection of a metallic nanotube with a semiconducting nanotube will result in a Schottky barrier device, and the connection of two different semiconducting tubes will result in a heterojunction structure [30]. These structures have been shown to exhibit asymmetric electtical properties, both in carbon nanotubes and in traditional CMOS circuits [31], The usefulness of these structures in present-day circuits underscores how useful carbon nanotubes may be in the development of next-generation electrical devices [32,33]. 

We believe that the next generation of tablets, smart phones and other portable electronic devices will contain integrated gas sensors and, thus, CMOS gas sensors will find their way into everyday use in the next five years. As about 600 million smart phones are expected to be sold in 2013 alone, this is an exciting prospect for sensor manufacturers. 

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