INFLUENCE of GATE OXIDE STRUCTURE and METAL GATE WORK FUNCTION on the PERFORMANCE of 14NM FINFET BULK SILICON DEVICE

Following the advancement of semiconductor technologies, FinFET architectures now serve as pivotal components in integrated circuit development, depending on their 3D channel geometry for stronger electrostatic control and improved leakage currents. Nevertheless, threshold voltage steadiness, short-channel consequences, leakage traits, and other key performance metrics are still under the control of gate oxide arrangements and metal gate work function selection. Using the TCAD software with quantum systems with non-local correction mechanisms, this study reveals the effects of gate oxide materials, thicknesses, and metal gate work functions on certain key performance metrics. Based on the numerical simulations, we discover that high-k gate oxides can not only mitigate gate leakage currents but also augment drive currents, while at the same time intensifying quantum confinement effects and corner effects. Hence, the threshold voltage will be lower, and the subthreshold swing can be improved. Enabled by the metal gate work function, the threshold voltage and subthreshold characteristics can be adjusted and controlled, though channel carrier concentration and mobility will be affected to harm drive current and short-channel behavior. To deal with those issues, optimized design strategies were put forward, which include suitable high-k oxide thickness selection, ideal metal gate work function congruence, and deployment of rounded fin structures. Furthermore, the potential future evolutions for FinFET technology are deliberated in the context to offer references for cutting-edge transistor design in the upcoming era.