A significant trend throughout integrated circuit (IC) development is the downsizing of IC components. As the size reduces, the performance requirements become more stringent. As devices continue to shrink in size, the channel region and hence the gate length of gate electrode over the channel region also continue to shrink as well. For metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), increased performance requirements have generally been met by aggressively scaling the length of the channel region. However, such a short channel length faces high electric field and manufacturing limits.
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