Carbon nanotube field effect transistors for high performance analog applications: An optimum design approach

There is a need to explore circuit designs in new emerging technologies for their rapid commercialization to extend Moore’s law beyond 22 nm technology node. Carbon nanotube based transistor (CNFET) has significant potential to replace CMOS in the future due to its better electrostatics and higher mobility. This paper presents a complete optimal design of an inverting amplifier in CMOS, CNFET and hybrid technologies. We investigate and conceptually explain the performance measure of the amplifier at 32 nm technology node in terms of operating voltage, number of carbon nanotubes (CNT), diameter and pitch (inter-nanotube distance) variations of carbon nanotubes in a CNFET transistor in pure and hybrid technologies for area, power and performance optimization. This paper also explores the scope, possibilities and challenges associated with pure CNFET and hybrid amplifiers. We have found that pure CNFET amplifier provided good amplification while hybrid pCNFET–nMOS amplifier offered excellent frequency response and pMOS–nCNFET amplifier gave better transient performance compared with planar CMOS. & 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.