Semiconducting carbon nanotubes promise faster performance and lower power consumption than Si in field-effect transistors (FETs) if they can be aligned in dense arrays. Here, we demonstrate that nanotubes collected at a liquid/liquid interface self-organize to form two-dimensional (2D) nematic liquid crystals that globally align with flow. The 2D liquid crystals are transferred onto substrates in a continuous process generating dense arrays of nanotubes aligned within ±6°, ideal for electronics. Nanotube ordering improves with increasing concentration and decreasing temperature due to the underlying liquid crystal phenomena. The excellent alignment and uniformity of the transferred assemblies enable FETs with exceptional on-state current density averaging 520 μA μm −1 at only −0.6 V, and variation of only 19%. FETs with ion gel top gates demonstrate subthreshold swing as low as 60 mV decade −1 . Deposition across a 10-cm substrate is achieved, evidencing the promise of 2D nanotube liquid crystals for commercial semiconductor electronics.
more »
« less
High transconductance and current density in field effect transistors using arrays of bundled semiconducting carbon nanotubes
We examine if the bundling of semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can increase the transconductance and on-state current density of field effect transistors (FETs) made from arrays of aligned, polymer-wrapped CNTs. Arrays with packing density ranging from 20 to 50 bundles μm −1 are created via tangential flow interfacial self-assembly, and the transconductance and saturated on-state current density of FETs with either (i) strong ionic gel gates or (ii) weak 15 nm SiO 2 back gates are measured vs the degree of bundling. Both transconductance and on-state current significantly increase as median bundle height increases from 2 to 4 nm, but only when the strongly coupled ionic gel gate is used. Such devices tested at −0.6 V drain voltage achieve transconductance as high as 50 μS per bundle and 2 mS μm −1 and on-state current as high as 1.7 mA μm −1 . At low drain voltages, the off-current also increases with bundling, but on/off ratios of ∼10 5 are still possible if the largest (95th percentile) bundles in an array are limited to ∼5 nm in size. Radio frequency devices with strong, wraparound dielectric gates may benefit from increased device performance by using moderately bundled as opposed to individualized CNTs in arrays.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1727523
- PAR ID:
- 10358104
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Applied Physics Letters
- Volume:
- 121
- Issue:
- 7
- ISSN:
- 0003-6951
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 073504
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract Source/Drain extension doping is crucial for minimizing the series resistance of the ungated channel and reducing the contact resistance of field‐effect transistors (FETs) in complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology. 2D semiconductors, such as MoS2and WSe2, are promising channel materials for beyond‐silicon CMOS. A key challenge is to achieve extension doping for 2D monolayer FETs without damaging the atomically thin material. This work demonstrates extension doping with low‐resistance contacts for monolayer WSe2p‐FETs. Self‐limiting oxidation transforms a bilayer WSe2into a hetero‐bilayer of a high‐work‐function WOxSeyon a monolayer WSe2. Then, damage‐free nanolithography defines an undoped nano‐channel, preserving the high on‐current of WOxSey‐doped FETs while significantly improving their on/off ratio. The insertion of an amorphous WOxSeyinterlayer under the contacts achieves record‐low contact resistances for monolayer WSe2over a hole density range of 1012to 1013cm−2(1.2 ± 0.3 kΩ µm at 1013cm−2). The WOxSey‐doped extension exhibits a sheet resistance as low as 10 ± 1 kΩ □−1. Monolayer WSe2p‐FETs with sub‐50 nm channel lengths reach a maximum drain current of 154 µA µm−1with an on/off ratio of 107–108. These results define strategies for nanometer‐scale selective‐area doping in 2D FETs and other 2D architectures.more » « less
-
null (Ed.)Selective deposition of semiconducting carbon nanotubes (s-CNTs) into densely packed, aligned arrays of individualized s-CNTs is necessary to realize their potential in semiconductor electronics. We report the combination of chemical contrast patterns, topography, and pre-alignment of s-CNTs via shear to achieve selective-area deposition of aligned arrays of s-CNTs. Alternate stripes of surfaces favorable and unfavorable to s-CNT adsorption were patterned with widths varying from 2000 nm down to 100 nm. Addition of topography to the chemical contrast patterns combined with shear enabled the selective-area deposition of arrays of quasi-aligned s-CNTs (∼14°) even in patterns that are wider than the length of individual nanotubes (>500 nm). When the width of the chemical and topographical contrast patterns is less than the length of individual nanotubes (<500 nm), confinement effects become dominant enabling the selective-area deposition of much more tightly aligned s-CNTs (∼7°). At a trench width of 100 nm, we demonstrate the lowest standard deviation in alignment degree of 7.6 ± 0.3° at a deposition shear rate of 4600 s −1 , while maintaining an individualized s-CNT density greater than 30 CNTs μm −1 . Chemical contrast alone enables selective-area deposition, but chemical contrast in addition to topography enables more effective selective-area deposition and stronger confinement effects, with the advantage of removal of nanotubes deposited in spurious areas via selective lift-off of the topographical features. These findings provide a methodology that is inherently scalable, and a means to deposit spatially selective, aligned s-CNT arrays for next-generation semiconducting devices.more » « less
-
This Letter reports a highly scaled 90 nm gate length β-Ga2O3 (Ga2O3) T-gate MOSFET with a power gain cutoff frequency (fMAX) of 55 GHz. The 60 nm thin epitaxial Ga2O3 channel layer was grown by molecular beam epitaxy, while the highly doped (n++) source/drain regions were regrown using metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Maximum on current (IDS,MAX) of 160 mA/mm and trans-conductance (gm) around 36 mS/mm were measured at VDS = 10 V for LSD = 1.5 μm device. Transconductance and on current are limited by high channel sheet resistance (Rsheet). Gate/drain breakdown voltage of 125 V was measured for LGD = 1.2 μm. We extracted 27 GHz current gain cutoff frequency (fT) and 55 GHz fMAX for 20 V drain bias for unpassivated devices. While no current collapse was seen initially for both drain and gate lag measurements for 500 ns pulse, moderate current collapse was observed after DC, RF measurements caused by electrical stressing. We calculated a high fT. VBR product of 3.375 THz V, which is comparable to the state-of-the-art GaN HEMTs. This figure of merit suggests that Ga2O3 could be a potential candidate for X-band application.more » « less
-
null (Ed.)Recently, γ-LiAlO2 has attracted considerable attention as a coating in Li-ion battery electrodes. However, its potential as a Li+ ceramic electrolyte is limited due to its poor ionic conductivity (<10−10 S cm−1). Here, we demonstrate an effective method of processing LiAlO2 membranes (<50 μm) using nanopowders (NPs) produced via liquid-feed flame spray pyrolysis(LF-FSP). Membranes consisting of selected mixtures of lithium aluminate polymorphs and Li contents were processed byconventional tape casting of NPs followed by thermocompressionof the green films (100 °C/10 kpsi/10 min). The sintered greenfilms (1100 °C/2 h/air) present a mixture of LiAlO2 (∼72 wt %)and LiAl5O8 (∼27 wt %) phases, offering ionic conductivities (>10−6 S cm−1) at ambient with an activation energy of 0.5 eV. This greatly increases their potential utility as ceramic electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries, which could simplify battery designs, significantly reduce costs, and increase their safety. Furthermore, a solid-state Li/Li3.1AlO2/Li symmetric cell was assembled and galvanostatically cycled at 0.375 mA cm−2 current density, exhibiting a transference number ≈ 1.more » « less
An official website of the United States government

