Breakthrough in Semiconductor Technology: Novel Lateral Transistor Architecture Demonstrated

Researchers at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have made a significant advancement in semiconductor technology by introducing a novel lateral transistor architecture, the semiconductor-free-space gate transistor (SFGT). This pioneering work presents the first demonstration of free-space gating in wide and ultrawide bandgap semiconductors, achieving performance on par with oxide-gated transistors. The SFGT showcases unprecedented performance, with subthreshold slopes below 200 mV/dec, high drain current exceeding 250 mA/mm, and breakdown voltages over 500 V.

Key Takeaways:

• The semiconductor-free-space gate transistor (SFGT) is a novel lateral transistor architecture that replaces conventional solid dielectrics with a semiconductor-free-space gate configuration.
• The SFGT demonstrates exceptional performance, including subthreshold slopes below 200 mV/dec, high drain current exceeding 250 mA/mm, and breakdown voltages over 500 V.
• The SFGT's unique design enables direct access to the gate region for external electric field modulation and threshold voltage tuning, mitigating the detrimental effects of charges and trap states in conventional dielectrics.
• The research highlights the potential of SFGTs for future memory, sensing, and power applications.
• Vishal Khandelwal and colleagues from KAUST's Applied Physics Program and Physical Sciences and Engineering (PSE) Division conducted this groundbreaking research.

Statistics:

• Subthreshold slopes: below 200 mV/dec
• Drain current: exceeding 250 mA/mm
• Breakdown voltages: over 500 V
• I/I ratio: above 10
• Hysteresis: under 230 mV
• Solid dielectric layer: absent
• Gate geometry: open
• Gate region accessibility: direct external electric field modulation

Sources:

• Echoing NewsRx. Data on Science Reported by Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) (Lateral Semiconductor-Free-Space Gate Transistors). Electronics Newsweekly. October 21, 2025; p 48.
• Lateral Semiconductor-Free-Space Gate Transistors. Nano Letters, 2025.