Monte carlo study of electron transport in silicon inversion layers

Abstract

Electron transport in Si inversion layers at room temperature is studied using the self-consistent Poisson-Monte Carlo program DAMOCLES coupled to the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation. Band nonparabolicity, anisotropy of the electron-acoustic phonon interaction, multisubband screening, interface optical modes, and Coulomb and surface-roughness scattering are included in order to assess how well we can explain available experimental data. The results are only moderately satisfactory: while we provide an improvement upon previous theoretical studies, we still overestimate the ohmic field-effect mobility by about 20% at medium electron densities ( approximately=1012/cmsup -2/) and obtain a high-field saturated velocity approaching the bulk value, despite experimental evidence for lower values.