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In this paper, we present high threshold voltage, low on-resistance, and high speed GaN-HEMT devices using a p-GaN layer in the gate stack. There are three novel features — first, for the first time, p-GaN gate HEMTs were fabricated on a 200-mm GaN on Si substrate using a Au-free fully CMOS-compatible process. Second, good electrical characteristics, including a threshold voltage of higher than 2.8 V, a low gate leakage current, no hysteresis, and fast switching, were obtained by employing a p-GaN and W gate stack. Finally, TO-220 packaged p-GaN gate HEMT devices, which can sustain a gate bias of up to 20 V, were demonstrated. Such properties indicate that our p-GaN HEMT devices are compatible with the conventional gate drivers for Si power devices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Nano-Electro-Mechanical (NEM) relays are excellent candidates for programmable routing in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). FPGAs that combine CMOS circuits with NEM relays are referred to as CMOS-NEM FPGAs. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate, for the first time, correct functional operation of NEM relays as programmable routing switches in FPGAs, and their programmability by utilizing hysteresis properties of NEM relays. In addition, we present a technique that utilizes electrical properties of NEM relays and selectively removes or downsizes routing buffers for designing energy-efficient CMOS-NEM FPGAs. Simulation results indicate that such CMOS-NEM FPGAs can achieve 10-fold reduction in leakage power, 2-fold reduction in dynamic power, and 2-fold reduction in area, simultaneously, without application speed penalty when compared to a 22nm CMOS-only FPGA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Nano-Electro-Mechanical (NEM) relays are nano-scale switches that can be mechanically actuated by an electrical signal. Unlike conventional CMOS transistors, NEM relays exhibit zero off-state leakage and very sharp on-off transitions. As a result, NEM relays can be potentially used to design highly energy-efficient digital systems. NEM relays are also excellent candidates for programmable routing switches in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) due to their potentially low on-state resistances despite their long mechanical delays. Low-temperature fabrication of NEM relays creates opportunities for their integration on top of silicon CMOS circuits. Hysteresis properties of NEM relays can enable their use as FPGA programmable routing switches without requiring additional routing SRAM cells. In this talk, we will present an overview of NEM relays and their use in digital system design, and discuss design considerations for hybrid CMOS-NEM FPGAs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]