skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: Multiscale modeling of semimetal contact to two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductor
A multiscale simulation approach is developed to simulate the contact transport properties between semimetal and a monolayer two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) semiconductor. The results elucidate the mechanisms for low contact resistance between semimetal and TMDC semiconductor contacts from a quantum transport perspective. The simulation results compare favorably with recent experiments. Furthermore, the results show that the contact resistance of a bismuth-MoS2contact can be further reduced by engineering the dielectric environment and doping the TMDC material to [Formula: see text]. The quantum transport simulation indicates the possibility to achieve an ultrashort contact transfer length of ∼1 nm, which can allow aggressive scaling of the contact size.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1904580 1809770
PAR ID:
10369010
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  
Publisher / Repository:
American Institute of Physics
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Applied Physics Letters
Volume:
121
Issue:
2
ISSN:
0003-6951
Page Range / eLocation ID:
Article No. 023507
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Recent technology development of logic devices based on 2-D semiconductors such as MoS2, WS2, and WSe2 has triggered great excitement, paving the way to practical applications. Making low-resistance p-type contacts to 2-D semiconductors remains a critical challenge. The key to addressing this challenge is to find high-work function metallic materials which also introduce minimal metal-induced gap states (MIGSs) at the metal/semiconductor interface. In this work, we perform a systematic computational screening of novel metallic materials and their heterojunctions with monolayer WSe2 based on ab initio density functional theory and quantum device simulations. Two contact strategies, van der Waals (vdW) metallic contact and bulk semimetallic contact, are identified as promising solutions to achieving Schottky-barrier-free and low-contact-resistance p-type contacts for WSe2 p-type field-effect transistor (pFETs). Good candidates of p-type contact materials are found based on our screening criteria, including 1H-NbS2, 1H-TaS2, and 1T-TiS2 in the vdW metal category, as well as Co3Sn2S2 and TaP in the bulk semimetal category. Simulations of these new p-type contact materials suggest reduced MIGS, less Fermi-level pinning effect, negligible Schottky barrier height and small contact resistance (down to 20 Ωμm ) 
    more » « less
  2. Colossal negative magnetoresistance is a well-known phenomenon, notably observed in hole-doped ferromagnetic manganites. It remains a major research topic due to its potential in technological applications. In contrast, topological semimetals show large but positive magnetoresistance, originated from the high-mobility charge carriers. Here, we show that in the highly electron-doped region, the Dirac semimetal CeSbTe demonstrates similar properties as the manganites. CeSb0.11Te1.90hosts multiple charge density wave modulation vectors and has a complex magnetic phase diagram. We confirm that this compound is an antiferromagnetic Dirac semimetal. Despite having a metallic Fermi surface, the electronic transport properties are semiconductor-like and deviate from known theoretical models. An external magnetic field induces a semiconductor metal–like transition, which results in a colossal negative magnetoresistance. Moreover, signatures of the coupling between the charge density wave and a spin modulation are observed in resistivity. This spin modulation also produces a giant anomalous Hall response. 
    more » « less
  3. Observation of intrinsic quantum transport properties of two-dimensional (2D) topological semimetals can be challenging due to suppression of high mobility caused by extrinsic factors introduced during fabrication. We demonstrate current annealing as a method to substantially improve electronic transport properties of 2D topological semimetal flakes. Contact resistance and resistivity were improved by factors up to 2×106 and 2×104, respectively, in devices based on exfoliated flakes of two topological semimetals, ZrSiSe and BaMnSb2. Using this method, carrier mobility in ZrSiSe was improved by a factor of 3800, resulting in observation of record-high mobility for exfoliated ZrSiSe. Quantum oscillations in annealed ZrSiSe appeared at magnetic fields as low as 5 T, and magnetoresistance increased by a factor of 104. We argue that a thermal process underlies this improvement. Finally, Raman spectroscopy and analysis of quantum oscillations in ZrSiSe indicate that the phonon modes and Fermi surface area are unchanged by current annealing. 
    more » « less
  4. Abstract Topological insulators and semimetals have been shown to possess intriguing thermoelectric properties promising for energy harvesting and cooling applications. However, thermoelectric transport associated with the Fermi arc topological surface states on topological Dirac semimetals remains less explored. This work systematically examines thermoelectric transport in a series of topological Dirac semimetal Cd3As2thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Surprisingly, significantly enhanced Seebeck effect and anomalous Nernst effect are found at cryogenic temperatures when the Cd3As2layer is thin. In particular, a peak Seebeck coefficient of nearly 500 µV K−1and a corresponding thermoelectric power factor over 30 mW K−2 m−1are observed at 5 K in a 25‐nm‐thick sample. Combining angle‐dependent quantum oscillation analysis, magnetothermoelectric measurement, transport modeling, and first‐principles simulation, the contributions from bulk and surface conducting channels are isolated and the unusual thermoelectric properties are attributed to the topological surface states. The analysis showcases the rich thermoelectric transport physics in quantum‐confined topological Dirac semimetal thin films and suggests new routes to achieving high thermoelectric performance at cryogenic temperatures. 
    more » « less
  5. Abstract During a band-gap-tuned semimetal-to-semiconductor transition, Coulomb attraction between electrons and holes can cause spontaneously formed excitons near the zero-band-gap point, or the Lifshitz transition point. This has become an important route to realize bulk excitonic insulators – an insulating ground state distinct from single-particle band insulators. How this route manifests from weak to strong coupling is not clear. In this work, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and high-resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD), we investigate the broken symmetry state across the semimetal-to-semiconductor transition in a leading bulk excitonic insulator candidate system Ta2Ni(Se,S)5. A broken symmetry phase is found to be continuously suppressed from the semimetal side to the semiconductor side, contradicting the anticipated maximal excitonic instability around the Lifshitz transition. Bolstered by first-principles and model calculations, we find strong interband electron-phonon coupling to play a crucial role in the enhanced symmetry breaking on the semimetal side of the phase diagram. Our results not only provide insight into the longstanding debate of the nature of intertwined orders in Ta2NiSe5, but also establish a basis for exploring band-gap-tuned structural and electronic instabilities in strongly coupled systems. 
    more » « less