Effects of insertion of an h-AlN monolayer spacer in Pt-WSe2-Pt field-effect transistors

Abstract The growth of two-dimensional hexagonal aluminum nitride (h-AlN) on transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers exhibits superior uniformity and smoothness compared to HfO $$_{2}$$ 2 on silicon substrate. This makes an h-AlN monolayer an ideal spacer between the gate oxide material and...

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Main Authors: Ken-Ming Lin, Po-Jiun Chen, Chih-Piao Chuu, Yu-Chang Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-10-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74691-z
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author Ken-Ming Lin
Po-Jiun Chen
Chih-Piao Chuu
Yu-Chang Chen
author_facet Ken-Ming Lin
Po-Jiun Chen
Chih-Piao Chuu
Yu-Chang Chen
author_sort Ken-Ming Lin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The growth of two-dimensional hexagonal aluminum nitride (h-AlN) on transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers exhibits superior uniformity and smoothness compared to HfO $$_{2}$$ 2 on silicon substrate. This makes an h-AlN monolayer an ideal spacer between the gate oxide material and the WSe2 monolayer in a two-dimensional field effect transistor (FET). From first principles approaches, we calculate and compare the transmission functions and current densities of Pt–WSe2–Pt nanojunctions without and with the insertion of an h-AlN monolayer as a spacer in the gate architecture. The inclusion of h-AlN can alter the characteristics of the Pt–WSe2–Pt FET in response to the gate voltage ( $$V_\text {g}$$ V g ). The FET without (or with) h-AlN exhibits the characteristics of a P-type (or bipolar) transistor: an on/off ratio of around $$2.5 \times 10^{6}$$ 2.5 × 10 6 (or $$1.7 \times 10^{6}$$ 1.7 × 10 6 ); and an average subthreshold swing (S.S.) of approximately 109 mV/ $$\text {dec.}$$ dec. (or 112 mV/ $$\text {dec.}$$ dec. ), respectively. We observe that $$V_\text {g}$$ V g shifts the profile of the transmission function by an energy of $$\alpha (e V_{\text {g}})$$ α ( e V g ) , where $$\alpha$$ α represents the gate-controlling efficiency. We observed that $$\alpha _{\text {in}}=83\%$$ α in = 83 % and $$\alpha _{\text {out}}=33\%$$ α out = 33 % , corresponding to whether the Fermi energy is located inside or outside the band gap. Therefore, we construct an effective gate model based on the Landauer formula, with the transmission function at $$V_\text {g}=0$$ V g = 0 as the baseline. Our model generates results that are consistent with those obtained through first principles calculations. The relative error in current densities between model and first-principles calculations is within $$[\frac{ln(10)}{S.S.}] | \Delta V_{\text {G}}^{\text {eff}} |$$ [ l n ( 10 ) S . S . ] | Δ V G eff | . The 2D atomistic FETs show excellent device specifications and the ability to compete with existing transistors based on traditional silicon technology. Our findings could help advance the design of TMD-based FETs.
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spelling doaj-art-7898f35a71634ccf8091a0a1226de0ef2025-08-20T02:17:45ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-10-0114111210.1038/s41598-024-74691-zEffects of insertion of an h-AlN monolayer spacer in Pt-WSe2-Pt field-effect transistorsKen-Ming Lin0Po-Jiun Chen1Chih-Piao Chuu2Yu-Chang Chen3Department of Electrophysics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityDepartment of Electrophysics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)Department of Electrophysics, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityAbstract The growth of two-dimensional hexagonal aluminum nitride (h-AlN) on transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers exhibits superior uniformity and smoothness compared to HfO $$_{2}$$ 2 on silicon substrate. This makes an h-AlN monolayer an ideal spacer between the gate oxide material and the WSe2 monolayer in a two-dimensional field effect transistor (FET). From first principles approaches, we calculate and compare the transmission functions and current densities of Pt–WSe2–Pt nanojunctions without and with the insertion of an h-AlN monolayer as a spacer in the gate architecture. The inclusion of h-AlN can alter the characteristics of the Pt–WSe2–Pt FET in response to the gate voltage ( $$V_\text {g}$$ V g ). The FET without (or with) h-AlN exhibits the characteristics of a P-type (or bipolar) transistor: an on/off ratio of around $$2.5 \times 10^{6}$$ 2.5 × 10 6 (or $$1.7 \times 10^{6}$$ 1.7 × 10 6 ); and an average subthreshold swing (S.S.) of approximately 109 mV/ $$\text {dec.}$$ dec. (or 112 mV/ $$\text {dec.}$$ dec. ), respectively. We observe that $$V_\text {g}$$ V g shifts the profile of the transmission function by an energy of $$\alpha (e V_{\text {g}})$$ α ( e V g ) , where $$\alpha$$ α represents the gate-controlling efficiency. We observed that $$\alpha _{\text {in}}=83\%$$ α in = 83 % and $$\alpha _{\text {out}}=33\%$$ α out = 33 % , corresponding to whether the Fermi energy is located inside or outside the band gap. Therefore, we construct an effective gate model based on the Landauer formula, with the transmission function at $$V_\text {g}=0$$ V g = 0 as the baseline. Our model generates results that are consistent with those obtained through first principles calculations. The relative error in current densities between model and first-principles calculations is within $$[\frac{ln(10)}{S.S.}] | \Delta V_{\text {G}}^{\text {eff}} |$$ [ l n ( 10 ) S . S . ] | Δ V G eff | . The 2D atomistic FETs show excellent device specifications and the ability to compete with existing transistors based on traditional silicon technology. Our findings could help advance the design of TMD-based FETs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74691-zDensity functional theoryNon-equilibrium Green’s function2D field effect transistorSubthreshold swing
spellingShingle Ken-Ming Lin
Po-Jiun Chen
Chih-Piao Chuu
Yu-Chang Chen
Effects of insertion of an h-AlN monolayer spacer in Pt-WSe2-Pt field-effect transistors
Scientific Reports
Density functional theory
Non-equilibrium Green’s function
2D field effect transistor
Subthreshold swing
title Effects of insertion of an h-AlN monolayer spacer in Pt-WSe2-Pt field-effect transistors
title_full Effects of insertion of an h-AlN monolayer spacer in Pt-WSe2-Pt field-effect transistors
title_fullStr Effects of insertion of an h-AlN monolayer spacer in Pt-WSe2-Pt field-effect transistors
title_full_unstemmed Effects of insertion of an h-AlN monolayer spacer in Pt-WSe2-Pt field-effect transistors
title_short Effects of insertion of an h-AlN monolayer spacer in Pt-WSe2-Pt field-effect transistors
title_sort effects of insertion of an h aln monolayer spacer in pt wse2 pt field effect transistors
topic Density functional theory
Non-equilibrium Green’s function
2D field effect transistor
Subthreshold swing
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74691-z
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