Schrödinger equation Monte Carlo simulation of nano-scaled semiconductor devices

Semiconductor devices have been continuously scaled into the deep submicron regime. As a result, quantum effects which were neglected in semiclassical models become more and more important. Meanwhile, scattering still remains important down to the gate length around 10 nm. Accurate quantum transport simulators with scattering will be needed to explore the essential device physics. The work of this dissertation project is aimed at developing an accurate quantum transport simulation tool for deep submicron device modeling, as well as utilizing this newly developed simulation tool to study the quantum transport and scattering effects in ultra-scaled semiconductor devices. The quantum transport simulator “Schrödinger Equation Monte Carlo” (SEMC) provides a physically rigorous treatment of quantum transport and phasebreaking inelastic scattering (in 3D) via real (actual) scattering processes such as optical and acoustic phonon scattering. SEMC has been used to simulate carrier transport in nano-scaled devices in order to gauge the potential reliability of semiclassical models, phase-coherent quantum transport, and other limiting models as the transition from classical to quantum transport is approached. SEMC has also been successfully applied to study the carrier capture and transport in tunnel injection lasers. In this work, a 2D version of SEMC − SEMC-2D − has been developed. The quantum transport equations are solved self-consistently with Poisson equation. SEMC-2D has been used to simulate quantum transport in nano-scaled double gate MOSFETs. Simulation results serve not only to demonstrate the capability of this new quantum transport simulator, but also to illuminate the importance of physically accurate simulation of scattering for predictive modeling of transport in nano-scaled MOSFETs.