TFET-Based Voltage Detector: Proposal and Investigation

In this paper, a tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET)-based voltage detector is proposed and its electrical characteristics are investigated using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulation. The operating principle of the proposed voltage detector is explained and possible applications in electrical overstress (EOS) and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection are explored. Moreover, the impact of the key parameters on device performance is also discussed. The simulation results show that the proposed TFET-based voltage detector has a low leakage current and high detection sensitivity under EOS events compared to traditional diode-based detectors. With an additional nMOSFET capacitor, the proposed circuit can also be used for ESD protection.