Transient Thermal Model of Advanced Nanotransistors: A Case Study of CFET

As the device size approaches to nanoscale, microscopic and quantum effects cause the Fourier thermal model unsuitable for describing the transient thermal process in advanced nanoscale devices. In this study, based on the dual-phase lag (DPL) equation in hydrodynamic regimes, a non-Fourier transient thermal model for 3-D nanoscale devices was established. By introducing intermediate variables and the finite volume method (FVM), an iterative numerical algorithm was proposed and successfully used to solve the 3-D DPL equation. Meanwhile, the simulation results between the Fourier model and the DPL model were compared to emphasize the importance of constructing the non-Fourier thermal mechanism. Moreover, using the present model, the thermal behavior of a complementary field-effect transistor (CFET) was investigated in detail as an illustration. The impact of the metal interconnect on its thermal performance has been discussed and a feasible thermal optimization strategy was proposed. This study is expected to provide valuable insights and useful guidelines for device designers aiming to enhance the thermal performance of advanced nanoscale devices.