A Novel Photosensitive Tunneling Transistor for NearInfrared Sensing Applications: Design, Modeling, and

Simulation
ABSTRACT:
In this paper, a novel device structure, operating on the principle of band-to-band
tunneling, has been designed for near-infrared (11.5 m) multispectral optical
sensing applications. A drain current model based on line tunneling approach has
been developed to illustrate the device operation. The results of the model are
compared with the simulated data for devices with similar dimension and structure,
indicating good accuracy of the developed model. Spectral response of the device
is studied by estimating the relative values of its transfer as well as output
characteristics, and also by measuring the variation of threshold voltage, VT and
ON-state current, ION. VT and ION are found to be sensitive to wavelength
variations at moderate gate
doping levels. VT is found to increase by 40 mV and ION decreases by 35% for a
change of illumination wavelength from 1 to 1.5 m at a gate doping of 1 1018
cm3. Peak spectral sensitivity at an illumination intensity of 0.75 W/cm2 is found
to be 318.38, 2.02 103, and 672.2 corresponding to the change in wavelength
from (11.2 m), (1.21.45 m), and (1.451.5 m), respectively.

EXISTING SYSTEM:
NEAR-INFRARED multispectral biosensing and imaging finds a multitude of
applications in the life sciences, compact on-chip spectroscopes for lab-on-chip
systems, and noninvasive monitoring of blood oxygenation level. The requirement
for low-cost biosensing devices, which could be integrated with CMOS
technology, has burgeoned in the recent years. Such biosensing and imaging
requires the detector to provide spectral differentiation among a discrete set of well
separated wavelengths (e.g., >50 nm) [1][4]. Optically gated MOSFETs provide
advantages of low-voltage operation, suitability for on-chip applications, and
potential of superior noise performance due to the separated absorbing and
conducting regions in comparison with avalanche photodiodes, which require high
fields (20 V/m) to achieve desired ionization rates [5], [6]. For sensing a set of
well separated wavelengths (e.g., >50 nm), the FET sensors are required to exhibit
a

wavelength-dependent

conductance

modulation

due

to

secondary

photoconductive effect. The optimal sensing domain for any FET-based sensor is
the subthreshold regime [7].

PROPOSED SYSTEM:
In this paper, a novel photosensitive transistor, based on BTBT mechanism along
the gate electric field, has been designed and a relevant transport model is
developed to explain its operating principle. The similar device structure has also
been simulated using Synopsys Sentaurus Device [16], a commercial device
simulation package, for comparing its results with those obtained from the model
for verifying its accuracy. The proposed device allows interesting features in terms
of low operating voltage (<1 V) under illumination due to its steep average SS of
24 mV/decade, extracted over four decades of drain current ranging from 1
pA/m to 0.01 A/m. Such steep SS can be exploited to resolute two closely
spaced spectral lines even at low intensity of illumination. The proposed device
exhibits low leakage current (IOFF) on the order of 1 pA/m and ON-state
current (ION) on the order of 2.5 A/m for a gate doping of 1018 cm3 under
illumination. The spectral response of the device has been studied in terms of its
transfer and output characteristics, and the variation of threshold voltage, VT and
ION of the device. The impact of gate doping has also been investigated by
estimating the shift of threshold voltage and relative values of ION.

SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION:
Modelsim 6.0
Xilinx 14.2
HARDWARE IMPLEMENTATION:
SPARTAN-III, SPARTAN-VI