pMOSFETs are also readily simulated by DAMOCLES, and are of equal interest as nMOSFETs given the important of CMOS (complementary MOS) technology.

Some results from the simulation of a 0.10 µm pMOSFET, operating at a lattice temperature of 77 K, are shown below. This is a plot of total energy versus position from source (left) to drain) right , along the Si-SiO2 interface. The bias condition is as follows: Vgate=-2.5, Vdrain=-1.0, Vsub=0 V and the source is grounded.

By convention, the energy of holes increases for more negative values, in contrast to electron energy. This convention is due to the opposite Coulomb charge of electrons and holes. Thus, this image is inverted compared to its nMOSFET counterpart. The figure indicates that holes in the source have greater potential energy than in the drain. As holes move towards the drain, they loose potential energy and gain kinetic energy. Scattering also alters their energy. While hot hole effects are generally considered less severe than hot electron effects, pMOSFETs still merit study. In this device, operation at a lattice temperature of 77 K decreases the scattering rate for holes, and consequently, increases the population of energetic holes at the drain end of the channel.

Here is essentially the same information, but rendered as a three-dimensional plot.

The valence band axis is inverted in order to give an impression that holes are "falling down" the potential hill from source to drain. The source is located in the middle right of the figure; the drain is in the lower left. The front edge of the image corresponds to the Si-SiO2 interface (not shown), which serves to keep holes constrained from moving towards the viewer.

The identical plot, but without an inverted valence band axis, is shown below.

This image is somewhat harder to follow: you are looking up from the bottom of the potential surface, and through the plane containing the position axes labels. Here, holes move like balloons, "floating up" the potential energy hill from source (middle right) to drain (upper left).