Single-Interface and Quantum-Well Heterostructure MISFET's

The physical operation of heterostructure metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistors (H-MISFET's) is described and compared with that of more familiar heterostructure FET's. Undoped, doped-channel, and quantumwell MISFET's based on AIGaAs/GaAs heterostructures are examined. Focus is placed on quantumwell MISFET's, which differ most from more conventional devices. Results of experiments and simulations are presented to examine the physical mechanisms related to charge-control, gate leakage, device geometry, short-channel effects, buffer leakage, and electron trapping in the devices, and the advantages of other III—V materials systems are discussed. Finally, the potential advantages of H-MISFET's for circuit applications are discussed.