High performance Si/SiGe heterostructure MOSFETs for low power analog circuit applications

We have demonstrated a high performance Si_1-xGe_x pMOSFET technology for low power circuit applications. The incorporation of 30% Ge in the strained Si_1-xGe_x channel provides a drive current enhancement by a factor of 2.7 over its counterpart Si bulk pMOSFETs and manifests a marked advantage of two decade in exponential operating region allowing both lower power consumption and a wider dynamic range for low power circuit applications. The measured low frequency noise in Si_1-xGe_x pMOSFET's is found to be significantly lower than in Si devices. The experimental results promise the potential of SiGe/Si heterostructure MOSFETs in radio-frequency low power circuit applications.