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Tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs) with a subthreshold swing (SS)<60 mV/dec are expected to be active devices in low-power flexible systems, potentially lowering operational voltage by virtue of steep switching behavior via band-to-band tunneling. In silicon (Si) channel materials, however, it still remains a challenge to obtain SS smaller than 60 mV/dec. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate the sub-60 mV/dec operation of a flexible semi-around gate TFET on a plastic substrate using Si nanowires (SiNWs) as the channel material. With the combined advantages of selectively thinned SiNW channels (width ~15 nm and height ~40 nm) and high-κ (Al2O3 ~7 nm) gate dielectric, in conjunction with an abrupt degenerate source junction, the device with a channel length of ~500 nm exhibits a minimal SS of ~42 mV/dec at room temperature. Moreover, mechanical bendability of the device indicates that it has stable and good fatigue properties, providing an important step towards the realization of steep-slope switches for low-power and energy-efficient flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we demonstrate nondestructive readout memory characteristics of a bistable resistor (biristor) with an n+-p-n+ Si nanowire (SiNW) channel on a bendable substrate. The SiNW channel is fabricated using a top--down route, which is compatible with the current complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. The SiNW biristor shows the outstanding memory characteristics such as a retention time of 10 s and a current sensing margin of ~23-μA at room temperature. These memory characteristics originate from a positive feedback process resulting from impact ionization near the p-n junction. Moreover, the positive feedback mechanism is comprehensively investigated using device simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]