Open research questions in Advancements in Semiconductor Devices and Circuit Design

What the literature leaves open

• The lack of understanding of the quantum statistical behaviors of carriers in strong inversion layers. The surprising negative threshold voltages on FinFETs, which means IDS would flow even without applied voltage on the Gate.

  Quantum Statistical Behaviors of Carriers in Strong Inversion Layers Associated with Mobility and Threshold Voltage in FinFET Transistors · 2026 · DOI

• The gap in prior work is the lack of a precise approximation of the solution, capturing nonlinearity. Prior work has established the well-posedness of the equation and derived decay estimates for the solution, but has not fully captured the nonlinearity. The paper identifies the need for a novel expansion of the solution to capture the nonlinearity.

  Distortion of charge distribution due to internal electric fields described by the drift-diffusion semiconductor model · 2026 · DOI

• The simulations are limited to a one-dimensional case. The analysis is restricted to the case where k_1 > 0. The paper does not provide a direct comparison with experimental results.

  Ballistic electron transport described by a generalized Schrödinger equation · 2026 · DOI

• Traditional semiconductor physics models have limitations in explaining device characteristics. There is a need for a model that can uniformly explain the negative temperature coefficient of diode forward voltage drop and the positive temperature coefficient of transistor current gain.

  Reconstruction of Transistor Amplification Principle and Engineering Implementation Based on Status-Relational Entropy (SRE) Dynamics · 2026 · DOI

• Future research directions include few-shot learning, physics-informed integration, and cross-platform universal modeling. Future research should focus on promoting the deep integration and collaborative innovation of machine learning and semiconductor technology.

  The shift to data-driven microelectronics: machine learning for MOSFET modeling, design, and reliability · 2026 · DOI

• The research gap is the lack of effective methods for MOSFET modeling and design as device dimensions shrink to the nanoscale. The research gap is the limited understanding of the applications and challenges of machine learning in MOSFET technology.

  The shift to data-driven microelectronics: machine learning for MOSFET modeling, design, and reliability · 2026 · DOI

• Future research can focus on experimental verification of the simulation results. Further studies can investigate the impact of other scattering mechanisms on the performance of Nanosheet FETs. Research can explore the application of the findings to other device technologies.

  The electrical characteristics of Nanosheet FET within the quasi-ballistic transport: Role of scattering and temperature variation · 2026 · DOI

• The research gap is in the investigation of sub-BTE and diffusive transport mechanisms in Nanosheet FETs.

  The electrical characteristics of Nanosheet FET within the quasi-ballistic transport: Role of scattering and temperature variation · 2026 · DOI

• Further studies can be performed to explore the effects of increased channel or contact-region carrier density via gating and/or chemical doping, dielectric environment, phonon effects, etc. on the behavior of 2D FETs. The development of more realistic device models can help to better understand the performance of 2D FETs in practical settings.

  Ab initio transfer length method simulations of tunneling limits in 2D semiconductors · 2026 · DOI

• Experimental capabilities and equilibrium DFT studies have limitations in probing sub-10 nm transport regimes. There is a need for novel approaches to study tunneling limits in 2D semiconductors and optimize metal/2D-semiconductor interfaces.

  Ab initio transfer length method simulations of tunneling limits in 2D semiconductors · 2026 · DOI

• Detailed investigations of electron transport under Si(110) confinement in advanced FinFET geometries remain limited. The field-dependent velocity is important due to the short channel lengths in the tens of nanometers, but has not been thoroughly studied.

  Dominant scattering mechanisms in the low/high electric field transport in cryogenic 2D confinement in Silicon (110) with high-κ oxides · 2026 · DOI

• The understanding of radiation-induced effects on MOS devices is limited. The development of MOS dosimeters with high sensitivity and stability is crucial for accurate radiation dosimetry.

  MOS devices for dosimetry applications · 2026 · DOI

• Future work will focus on improving the quantitative accuracy by incorporating additional physical effects, including multi-subband transport, valence-band anisotropy for different nanowire orientations, quantum reflection, and parasitic resistances.

  A Physics-Based Compact Model for P-Type Ballistic Nanowire GAA MOSFETs Incorporating the Source-to-Drain Tunneling Effect · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of accurate simulations for electron devices based on graphene. The limitation of macroscopic models in capturing complex charge transport dynamics. The need for a numerical method that preserves the correct physical range for the distribution function.

  A discontinuous Galerkin approach for simulating graphene-based electron devices via the Boltzmann transport equation · 2026 · DOI

• Further research can explore the application of ML techniques for semiconductor device modeling. The use of other machine learning algorithms can be investigated. Experimental validation of the proposed model can be conducted.

  Explainable artificial intelligence-based prediction of electrical characteristics in GAA MOSFETs · 2026 · DOI

• Nevertheless, there is still a significant gap in research to solve the technical issues related to appropriate design structure, fabrication techniques, functionalization, sensitivity with respect to targeted intercellular biological tiny particles, and lower signal-to-noise ratio of JLTFET biosensor.

  Junction less tunnel field-effect transistors (JLTFET): A transformation from design to diagnosis · 2025 · DOI

• However, the SiGe selective etching process‐induced strain affects the current transportation property along the channel, while the morphology and strain profiles at atomistic scale remain unclear.

  Direct Observation of Etching‐Induced Inhomogeneous Strain in Advanced Si/SiGe Stack for Gate‐All‐Around Transistor · 2025 · DOI

• Further research could explore optimization techniques and device scaling issues for silicon nitride gate materials. The development of more efficient and reliable semiconductor devices using silicon nitride gate materials could be investigated.

  Exploring Silicon Nitride Gate Materials for Enhanced Performance of Silicon-Based MOSFET · 2024 · DOI

• Current models of bandgap dependence on pressure are very simplified, do not provide modeling accuracy in a wide range of pressure values, which does not allow to development of adequate mathematical models of semiconductor components for further study of the effect of pressure on the electrical characteristics and parameters of integrated circuits.

  An Empirical Model of the Silicon Bandgap Dependence on the External Pressure · 2021 · DOI

• The gap is in determining the correlation of macroscopic variation data with microscopic MOSFET properties. The standard Vth-based compact models for circuit simulation do not provide a sufficiently physical correlation between macroscopic MOSFET performance and microscopic MOSFET parameters.

  Variation Analysis of CMOS Technologies Using Surface-Potential MOSFET Model · 2009 · DOI

• The need for a calibrated mobility model for strained-Si MOSFETs. The lack of calculation of electron mobility and drain current for strained-Si MOSFETs using the Pao-Sah model.

  Electron mobility and drain current in strained-Si MOSFET · 2007 · DOI

• Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind NBTI. The paper suggests that combined NBTI/hot carrier/irradiation stress would be a good probe for the validity of a general model. The paper highlights the need for further research and development in this area.

  Modeling of negative bias temperature instability · 2007 · DOI

• The influence of entropy variation among the interface states on measured distributions is not well understood. The relationship between the energy concepts involved in MOS characterization and the experimental data on the energy distribution of electron capture cross sections is not well established.

  Energy concepts involved in MOS characterization · 2007 · DOI

• Ternary logic offers a path to higher information density and lower power consumption beyond the limits of binary CMOS, yet its progress has been limited by the absence of high‐performance ternary transistors and scalable circuit technologies.

  Mixed‐Dimensional 1D/2D Ternary CMOS for High‐Performance Integrated Circuits · 2026 · DOI

• To extend the proposed model to two-dimensional and three-dimensional cases. To apply the model to other types of electron devices. To compare the results with experimental data.

  Ballistic electron transport described by a generalized Schrödinger equation · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Advancements in Semiconductor Devices and Circuit Design

• Tunnel field-effect transistors as energy-efficient electronic switches · Nature · 2011 · 2,782 citations
• Logic Circuits with Carbon Nanotube Transistors · Science · 2001 · 2,298 citations
• Ballistic two-dimensional InSe transistors · Nature · 2023 · 434 citations
• 2D fin field-effect transistors integrated with epitaxial high-k gate oxide · Nature · 2023 · 250 citations
• Comparative Analyses of Circular Gate TFET and Heterojunction TFET for Dielectric-Modulated Label-Free Biosensing · IEEE Sensors Journal · 2019 · 246 citations
• Advancement and challenges in MOSFET scaling · Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing · 2021 · 224 citations
• Scalable CMOS back-end-of-line-compatible AlScN/two-dimensional channel ferroelectric field-effect transistors · Nature Nanotechnology · 2023 · 217 citations
• Architectures for silicon nanoelectronics and beyond · Computer · 2007 · 69 citations
• Benchmarking of Multi-Bridge-Channel FETs Toward Analog and Mixed-Mode Circuit Applications · IEEE Access · 2024 · 68 citations
• Newton-Raphson Solution of Poisson's Equation in a Pn Diode · International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education · 2007 · 66 citations

Most recent work

• High-temperature operation of group-III nitride high-electron-mobility transistors · Nature Electronics · 2026
• High‐Performance and Energy‐Efficient Sub‐5 nm 2D Double‐Gate MOSFETs Based on Silicon Arsenide Monolayers · Advanced Electronic Materials · 2026
• Multitarget Rydberg gates via spatial blockade engineering · Physical Review Research · 2026
• Taming nonequilibrium thermal fluctuations in subthreshold CMOS circuits · Physical Review Applied · 2026
• Evaluation of critical thickness in SiGe/Si(110) structures · Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing · 2026
• Remote State Estimation Over a Wearing Channel: Information Freshness Versus Channel Aging · IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control · 2026
• Deep Learning to Automate Parameter Extraction and Model Fitting of Two-Dimensional Transistors · Research · 2026
• Monolithic three-dimensional integration of silicon transistors · Nature · 2026
• 2-D Analytical Surface Potential Modeling and Simulation-Based Optimization of GoP-HD-DMDG-TFET for Enhanced Performance · IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems · 2026
• Modeling the Impact of Device Imperfections on Electron Shuttling in SiMOS devices · PRX Quantum · 2026

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