Fin FETs and their Application as Load Switches in Micromechatronics

FinFETs are emerging as a replacement for traditional MOSFETs due to their better performance in the subthreshold region. The lowering of leakage current and improved on-off current ratio gives these quasi-planar structures an upper handover MOSFETs. Being compatible with CMOS technology with a few additional fabrication steps further enhances the chances of Fin FETs becoming state of the art semiconductor technology. Power consumption in transistors occur mainly due to switching action and leakage. Technology scaling results in tremendous increase in leakage power component. Design of devices with reduced leakage and minimum delay at the same time requires scaling of operating voltage as well as gate sizing. Presence of multiple gates opens the scope for various modes of operation of the Fin FET based circuits. Motors are the most common form of actuators in any mechatronic system. For efficient power management load switches are incorporated in the drive circuits. The load switch connects and disconnects a specific load from the supply in accordance with the signal from the control circuitry. Due to the advantages of Fin FETs they can be used to replace the existing MOSFET load switches in the drive circuits.