Question

To determine the impact of scaling on CMOS device performance, scaling down CMOS technology typically results in

• A. Lowered power consumption and increased speed
• B. Increased static power consumption
• C. Decreased integration density
• D. Reduced reliability of the devices

Hint:

CMOS scaling leads to smaller, faster, and more power-efficient transistors, enabling modern high-speed and low-power digital electronics.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) technology scaling refers to reducing the dimensions of transistors and associated components on an integrated circuit. This is often done to achieve several benefits in digital electronics.
When CMOS technology is scaled down:

• The gate capacitance (\(C\)) decreases.
• Supply voltage (\(V_{DD}\)) is reduced.
• Transistor switching becomes faster (lower delay).

These changes result in:

• Lower dynamic power consumption, since dynamic power \( P = \alpha C V_{DD}^2 f \) reduces due to smaller \( C \) and \( V_{DD} \).
• Increased switching speed, due to shorter channel lengths and faster charge/discharge of capacitive loads.
• Higher integration density, allowing more transistors per unit area.

Hence, the net result is lower power consumption and increased speed. Why other options are incorrect:

• (B) While static power may increase in some deep-submicron technologies due to leakage, it's not a typical or overall dominant trend.
• (C) Scaling increases, not decreases, integration density.
• (D) While excessive scaling may raise reliability concerns, this is not a primary or immediate result of scaling.