Effects of Interface Roughness Scattering on Radio Frequency Performance   of Silicon Nanowire Transistors
  The effects of an atomistic interface roughness in n-type silicon nanowire transistors (SiNWT) on the radio frequency performance are analyzed. Interface roughness scattering (IRS) is statistically investigated through a three dimensional full-band quantum transport simulation based on the sp3d5s?* tight-binding model. As the diameter of the SiNWT is scaled down below 3 nm, IRS causes a significant reduction of the cut-off frequency. The fluctuations of the conduction band edge due to the rough surface lead to a reflection of electrons through mode-mismatch. This effect reduces the velocity of electrons and hence the transconductance considerably causing a cut-off frequency reduction. 
SungGeun Kim, Mathieu Luisier, Timothy B. Boykin, and Gerhard Klimeck
cond-mat.mes-hall physics.comp-ph