Large random telegraph noise in sub-threshold operation of nano-scale nMOSFETs

We utilize low-frequency noise measurements to examine the sub-threshold voltage (sub-V
_TH
) operation of highly scaled devices. We find that the sub-V
_TH
low-frequency noise is dominated by random telegraph noise (RTN). The RTN is exacerbated both by channel dimension scaling and reducing the gate overdrive into the sub-V
_TH
regime. These large RTN fluctuations greatly impact circuit variability and represent a troubling obstacle that must be solved if sub-V
_TH
operation is to become a viable solution for low-power applications.