Gate oxide leakage refers to the unwanted flow of current through the gate oxide layer of a MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor). This phenomenon becomes particularly significant as transistor dimensions shrink in nanotechnology applications. The gate oxide is typically a thin layer of silicon dioxide (SiO2) that insulates the gate terminal from the underlying silicon channel. As this layer gets thinner, its insulating properties degrade, leading to leakage currents.
