Thesis - FinFET Technology: A Comprehensive Analysis and Look Into Prospects

[MrYo531]

Abstract—Transistors are the foundation for electronics and have been continually modified in design throughout the years. Each new architecture provides advancements in performance and speed, pushing the capabilities of everyday technologies used by society. This paper explores such designs and analyzes their advantages, with the focus on fin shaped field-effect-transistors or FinFETs. A background into transistors and the first designs is provided for context and comparisons. Then specific advantages in performance, power consumption, and size are explored. The innovations brought by FinFETs are built upon previous techniques, and so through historical references prospects are determined for how these transistors will continue to scale and outperform their predecessors. Designs may either continue to be iteratively modified, or new techniques like quantum computing may form and take over the field. Either way, the field is continuously advancing to support growing technologies.

[MrYo531]

https://mryo531.github.io/thesis-website/

[linnebach08]

Comment from Group HealthyBois (Nathan Hummel, Michael Linnebach, Brady Smith):

• What is the practical use? -- Good for developing research on these types of transistors.
• What are the challenges we think of to implement this project? -- Having a way accurately test transistor performance
• What is the marketplace for this project? -- IEEE would probably like the research
• Will we buy it? -- There is not a product so probably not we might by the FinFET transistors though
• What to improve from an outsider's perspective? -- Improve the timetable -- Add more info to the website in general

[Sam3077]

Comment from Group 1 (Benjamin Wadsworth, Dalton Clift, Sam Hirsch):

What is the practical use? Analyzing the efficacy of FinFET transistors and seeing how they may serve new computing models. This project may be useful to engineers who want to learn about this technology and view ways that it can benefit them. It seems like this project is primarily a literature review of the available FitFET research. Thus, it may offer advantages over other works by collating the available information.

What are the challenges we think of to implement this project? Primary challenges will be finding the necessary papers and references. Another challenge could also be finding novel information to present.

What is the marketplace for this project? This is a highly academic project that is mostly aimed at journals and academic conferences.

Will we buy it? Personally, we don't have a vested interest in FinFET technology. If we did, we may be interested in this work to inform such projects.

What to improve from an outsider's perspective? It may be good to specify further what you want to analyze in this project and how it differs from available research.

[Durrantula]

Group 3 (Tristan Stotesbery, Spencer Durrant, Ben Van Hoose) The practical use is that transistors are used in everything so it can benefit those things. The challenge we see is nothing is hands on so it is time consuming for all the reading. Another challenge would be getting a thesis paper accepted. Marketplace is semiconductor industry. Assuming the final product is the paper, we would not buy the paper unless we get a job in the semiconductor industry. We would try to make it more interesting, focus on the buzz words like quantum computing.

[Huchimama]

vectorU Scott Crowley, Aaron Tea This is a very interesting thesis and it has many practical uses like you described. Cutting the transistors into the desired shape might prove to be very challenging. If successful all chip manufacturers would be very interested. We would definitely buy it. A more detailed explanation on how testing is going to be done would be nice. We are very curious how this will turn out.

[altonbill]

Jacob Bills & Collin Pollard

-What is the practical use? Create a paper examining FinFet technology

-What are the challenges we think of to implement this project? Finding enough resources to make any compelling and original conclusions in the paper

-What is the marketplace for this project? Academia

-Will we buy it? N/A Not really creating a marketable product finfet is already used by the industry

-What to improve from an outsider's perspective? Maybe try to create some sort of original testing or contributions instead of just compiling and summarizing existing work

[alexCharters]

Comment from Group 6 Emmanuel Lotubai, Brandon Chen, Alex Charters:

What is the practical use? Learning more about FinFETs and their future in computing.

What are the challenges we think of to implement this project?

• Understanding high-level concepts.
• Gathering literature on the topic.
• Applying the technology to future uses.

What is the marketplace for this project?

• CPU manufacturing companies.

Will we buy it? no. Don't need any of these kinds of transistors. Thanks though.

What to improve from an outsider's perspective?s Make it clear what your actual thesis is. What statement are you making?

[Interestle]

Comment from Group 9 (Colton Watson, Seth Jackson, Phelan Hobbs):

What is the practical use? Transistors could always be improved, so researching how they can be improved in power consumption and size could be beneficial.

What are the challenges we think of to implement this project? Finding the necessary information.

What is the marketplace for this project? Anything with a transistor. Many companies could use improved transistors.

Will we buy it? N/A

What to improve from an outsider's perspective? Maybe specify the research more?

[lrm77]

Comment from Group 5 (Luke, John, McKay, Benjamin): --Practical Use A new transistor technology that could have performance benefits in certain applications. --Challenges Researching the technology and finding reliable sources and test results to form conclusions on the benefits of the technology. --Marketplace The transistors being researched could be useful to any manufacturers of electronics. --Purchase? No, this is not really for personal use. --Improvements? In the project description, better explain the scope of the research.

[MrYo531]

To Group HealthyBois and Group 1:

What's wrong with your comment: Everything is accurate tbh What's correct with your comment:

• Useful for research, can act as a single source/reference
• Measuring transistor performance would be a challenge.
• Same with finding novel information and through papers for reference.
• IEEE would benefit greatly, or any academic conferences
• Yes my website and timetable is very low effort
• I really should specify further what I want to analyze. Right now it's more summative than actually research-based.

Why you should change your mind:

• Yes

To Group 3, vectorU, and Jacob Bills & Collin Pollard:

What's wrong with your comment: You can't buy my paper. Wait I guess you can on IEEE? idk Also, I'm not dealing with transistors directly, maybe I should. That'd be more interesting. What's correct with your comment:

• Yes transistors are pretty cool.
• Definitely time-consuming with reading/research
• Yeah I really should make it more interesting and contribute something

Why you should change your mind:

• Also yes

To Group 6, 9, and 5:

What's wrong with your comment: I feel like my abstract is pretty good at conveying the purpose of the paper. The purpose itself is what's crap. What's correct with your comment:

• Yeah I gotta find good papers to read and understand what I'm talking about
• Specify the research more, I agree.

Why you should change your mind:

• yup

[Durrantula]

Group 3's response Is the prototype related? Yes, it's a rough draft, which is a good estimator of the final draft.

Is the prototype convincing to invest in? No, since it's a rough draft there isn't really an expense.

[BradySmith1019]

HealthyBois comment:

If we're counting the paper as the prototype, then: Is the prototype related to the project? Yes, the rough draft is done fairly well. Good introduction, depending on the final length of the paper it might be a bit long.

Is the prototype convincing to invest? There's not a whole lot to invest in, but the research seems well-thought-out.

*If this is meant to be your prototype, maybe label it as a prototype for grading? Just to be safe

[altonbill]

Is the prototype related to the project?

The rough draft is always the first step towards a final.

Is the prototype convincing for you to invest? This isn't something you really invest in.

[Interestle]

Comment from Group 9 (Colton Watson, Seth Jackson, Phelan Hobbs):

Is the prototype related to the project?

Definitely.

Is the prototype convincing for you to invest?

Yeah, better transistors are better transistors.

[ColinPollard]

Is the prototype related to the project? A draft is always a good first step.

Is the prototype convincing for us to invest? N/A

[Huchimama]

vectoru (Aaron Tea, Scott Crowley) The prototype is related to the the project and investing in a better transistors is an easy decision.

[bbleaptrot]

Comments from Team 5 (Luke, Benjamin, John, Mckay): -Is this prototype related to the project?

Yes! This will explore FinFET technology and discover the pros and cons of using it.

-Is the prototype convincing us to buy?

Not quite. We would need to see the outcome of this first draft to be convinced to research this further.

[dclift97]

Group 1 (Sam Hirsch, Dalton Clift, and Benjamin Wadsworth)

Is the prototype related to the project? There is no prototype for a this thesis

Will we invest? There is nothing to invest into really.

[MrYo531]

Reply to everyone's comments on my prototype / first draft: It's a thesis so yeah, a first draft is a decent "prototype" to aim for. I'm planning to continue researching and writing. Still working on how I can be even more specific w/ my topic. Make it more research/question-focused than summative.