Interface trap states induced underestimation of Schottky barrier height in metal-MX2 junctions

Abstract Understanding the interfaces between a contact metal and a two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor, as well as the dielectric gate stack and the same 2D material in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) based transistors, is a crucial step towards the introduction of TMD materials into advanced...

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Main Authors: Himani Jawa, Devin Verreck, Zheng Sun, Surajit Sutar, Cesar Javier Lockhart de la Rosa, Gouri Sankar Kar, Joerg Appenzeller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:npj 2D Materials and Applications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41699-025-00576-y
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author Himani Jawa
Devin Verreck
Zheng Sun
Surajit Sutar
Cesar Javier Lockhart de la Rosa
Gouri Sankar Kar
Joerg Appenzeller
author_facet Himani Jawa
Devin Verreck
Zheng Sun
Surajit Sutar
Cesar Javier Lockhart de la Rosa
Gouri Sankar Kar
Joerg Appenzeller
author_sort Himani Jawa
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Understanding the interfaces between a contact metal and a two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor, as well as the dielectric gate stack and the same 2D material in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) based transistors, is a crucial step towards the introduction of TMD materials into advanced logic nodes. In particular, for the contact metal/2D interface, one of the key parameters is the Schottky barrier height (SBH), which is frequently extracted based on temperature-dependent subthreshold characteristics of TMD field-effect transistors (FETs). However, recently, using this methodology has resulted in rather low extracted SBH values for TMD-based transistors, which seems inconsistent with the low on-current levels in said devices. Here, we therefore connect measured device characteristics on monolayer (ML) MoS2 transistors with technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. In particular, our analysis shows that low SBHs can be incorrectly extracted when the interface trap density Dit is substantial and exhibits, at the same time, a significant temperature dependence, as is the case for TMDs. In fact, TCAD simulations and comparison with the obtained electrical data reveal that the actual SBH is substantially larger than what is extracted when ignoring the above mentioned details of Dit.
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issn 2397-7132
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publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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series npj 2D Materials and Applications
spelling doaj-art-5c1830312bdb4bb6a41bf0c00b6095bf2025-08-20T03:03:28ZengNature Portfolionpj 2D Materials and Applications2397-71322025-07-01911510.1038/s41699-025-00576-yInterface trap states induced underestimation of Schottky barrier height in metal-MX2 junctionsHimani Jawa0Devin Verreck1Zheng Sun2Surajit Sutar3Cesar Javier Lockhart de la Rosa4Gouri Sankar Kar5Joerg Appenzeller6Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue UniversityIMECElmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue UniversityIMECIMECIMECElmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue UniversityAbstract Understanding the interfaces between a contact metal and a two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor, as well as the dielectric gate stack and the same 2D material in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) based transistors, is a crucial step towards the introduction of TMD materials into advanced logic nodes. In particular, for the contact metal/2D interface, one of the key parameters is the Schottky barrier height (SBH), which is frequently extracted based on temperature-dependent subthreshold characteristics of TMD field-effect transistors (FETs). However, recently, using this methodology has resulted in rather low extracted SBH values for TMD-based transistors, which seems inconsistent with the low on-current levels in said devices. Here, we therefore connect measured device characteristics on monolayer (ML) MoS2 transistors with technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. In particular, our analysis shows that low SBHs can be incorrectly extracted when the interface trap density Dit is substantial and exhibits, at the same time, a significant temperature dependence, as is the case for TMDs. In fact, TCAD simulations and comparison with the obtained electrical data reveal that the actual SBH is substantially larger than what is extracted when ignoring the above mentioned details of Dit.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41699-025-00576-y
spellingShingle Himani Jawa
Devin Verreck
Zheng Sun
Surajit Sutar
Cesar Javier Lockhart de la Rosa
Gouri Sankar Kar
Joerg Appenzeller
Interface trap states induced underestimation of Schottky barrier height in metal-MX2 junctions
npj 2D Materials and Applications
title Interface trap states induced underestimation of Schottky barrier height in metal-MX2 junctions
title_full Interface trap states induced underestimation of Schottky barrier height in metal-MX2 junctions
title_fullStr Interface trap states induced underestimation of Schottky barrier height in metal-MX2 junctions
title_full_unstemmed Interface trap states induced underestimation of Schottky barrier height in metal-MX2 junctions
title_short Interface trap states induced underestimation of Schottky barrier height in metal-MX2 junctions
title_sort interface trap states induced underestimation of schottky barrier height in metal mx2 junctions
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41699-025-00576-y
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