High-Field Electron Transport and High Saturation Velocity in Multilayer Indium Selenide Transistors.

Creating a high-frequency electron system demands a high saturation velocity (υsat). Herein, we report the high-field transport properties of multilayer van der Waals (vdW) indium selenide (InSe). The InSe is on a hexagonal boron nitride substrate and encapsulated by a thin, noncontinuous In layer, resulting in an impressive electron mobility reaching 2600 cm2/(V s) at room temperature. The high-mobility InSe achieves υsat exceeding 2 × 107 cm/s, which is superior to those of other gapped vdW semiconductors, and exhibits a 50-60% improvement in υsat when cooled to 80 K. The temperature dependence of υsat suggests an optical phonon energy (ℏωop) for InSe in the range of 23-27 meV, previously reported values for InSe. It is also notable that the measured υsat values exceed what is expected according to the optical phonon emission model due to weak electron-phonon scattering. The superior υsat of our InSe, despite its relatively small ℏωop, reveals its potential for high-frequency electronics, including applications to control cryogenic quantum computers in close proximity.

Controlling the Morphology of Tellurene for a High-Performance H2S Chemiresistive Room-Temperature Gas Sensor.

A two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals material composed only of tellurium (Te) atoms-tellurene-is drawing attention because of its high intrinsic electrical conductivity and strong interaction with gas molecules, which could allow the development of high-performance chemiresistive sensors. However, the correlation between the morphologies and gas detection properties of tellurene has not yet been studied in depth, and few reports exist on tellurene-based hydrogen sulfide (H2S) chemiresistive sensors in spite of their strong interaction with H2S molecules. Here, we investigate the morphology-dependent H2S gas detection properties of tellurene synthesized using a hydrothermal method. To tailor the morphologies of tellurene, the molecular weight of the surfactant was controlled, revealing that a 1D or 2D form was synthesized and also accompanied with the high crystallinity. The 1D tellurene-based chemiresistive sensor presented superior H2S detection properties compared to the 2D form, achieving a gas response (Rg/Ra) of ~38, even at room temperature. This outstanding performance was attributed to the high intrinsic electrical conductivity and high specific surface area of the resultant 1D tellurene.

Improvement of Visible Photodetection of Chemical Vapor Deposition-Grown MoS2 Devices via Graphene/Au Contacts.

Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a promising material for constructing high-performance visible photosensor arrays because of its high mobility and scale-up process. These distinct properties enable the construction of practical optoelectrical sensor arrays. However, contact engineering for MoS2 films is not still optimized. In this work, we inserted a graphene interlayer between the MoS2 films and Au contacts (graphene/Au) via the wet-transfer method to boost the device performance. Using graphene/Au contacts, outstanding electrical properties, namely field-effect mobility of 12.06 cm2/V∙s, on/off current ratio of 1.0 × 107, and responsivity of 610 A/W under illumination at 640 nm, were achieved. These favorable results were from the Fermi-level depinning effect induced by the graphene interlayer. Our results may help to construct large-area photonic sensor arrays based on 2D materials.

Fabrication of Large-Area Molybdenum Disulfide Device Arrays Using Graphene/Ti Contacts.

Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is the most mature material in 2D material fields owing to its relatively high mobility and scalability. Such noticeable properties enable it to realize practical electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, contact engineering for large-area MoS2 films has not yet been established, although contact property is directly associated to the device performance. Herein, we introduce graphene-interlayered Ti contacts (graphene/Ti) into large-area MoS2 device arrays using a wet-transfer method. We achieve MoS2 devices with superior electrical and photoelectrical properties using graphene/Ti contacts, with a field-effect mobility of 18.3 cm2/V∙s, on/off current ratio of 3 × 107, responsivity of 850 A/W, and detectivity of 2 × 1012 Jones. This outstanding performance is attributable to a reduction in the Schottky barrier height of the resultant devices, which arises from the decreased work function of graphene induced by the charge transfer from Ti. Our research offers a direction toward large-scale electronic and optoelectronic applications based on 2D materials.

Correlating Structure and Detection Properties in HgTe Nanocrystal Films.

HgTe nanocrystals (NCs) enable broadly tunable infrared absorption, now commonly used to design light sensors. This material tends to grow under multipodic shapes and does not present well-defined size distributions. Such point generates traps and reduces the particle packing, leading to a reduced mobility. It is thus highly desirable to comprehensively explore the effect of the shape on their performance. Here, we show, using a combination of electron tomography and tight binding simulations, that the charge dissociation is strong within HgTe NCs, but poorly shape dependent. Then, we design a dual-gate field-effect-transistor made of tripod HgTe NCs and use it to generate a planar p-n junction, offering more tunability than its vertical geometry counterpart. Interestingly, the performance of the tripods is higher than sphere ones, and this can be correlated with a stronger Te excess in the case of sphere shapes which is responsible for a higher hole trap density.

Substitutional Fluorine Doping of Large-Area Molybdenum Disulfide Monolayer Films for Flexible Inverter Device Arrays.

Reliable and controllable doping of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is a mandatory requirement for practical large-scale electronic applications. However, most of the literature on the doping methodologies of TMDCs has focused on n-type doping and multilayer TMDC rather than a monolayer one enabling large-scale growth. Herein, we report substitutional fluorine doping of a chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) monolayer film using a delicate SF6 plasma treatment. Our SF6-treated MoS2 monolayer shows a p-type doping effect with fluorine substitution. The doping concentration is controlled by the plasma treatment time (2-4.9 atom %) while maintaining the structural integrity of the MoS2 monolayer. Such reliable and tunable substitutional doping is attributed to preventing direct ion bombardment to the MoS2 monolayer by our gentle plasma treatment system. Finally, we fabricated MoS2 homojunction flexible inverter device arrays based on the pristine and SF6-treated MoS2 monolayer. A clear switching behavior is observed, and the voltage gain is approximately 8 at an applied VDD of 2 V, which is comparable to that of CVD-grown MoS2-based inverter devices reported previously. Obtained voltage gain is also stable even after 500 bending cycles at an applied strain of 0.5%.

Nanoplatelet-Based Light-Emitting Diode and Its Use in All-Nanocrystal LiFi-like Communication.

Now that colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) have been integrated as green and red sources for liquid crystal displays, the next challenge for quantum dots is their use in electrically driven light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Among various colloidal NCs, nanoplatelets (NPLs) have appeared as promising candidates for light-emitting devices because their two-dimensional shape allows a narrow luminescence spectrum, directional emission, and high light extraction. To reach high quantum efficiency, it is critical to grow core/shell structures. High temperature growth of the shells seems to be a better strategy than previously reported low-temperature approaches to obtain bright NPLs. Here, we synthesize CdSe/CdZnS core/shell NPLs whose shell alloy content is tuned to optimize the charge injection in the LED structure. The obtained LED has exceptionally low turn-on voltage, long-term stability (>3100 h at 100 cd m-2), external quantum efficiency above 5%, and luminance up to 35,000 cd m-2. We study the low-temperature performance of the LED and find that there is a delay of droop in terms of current density as temperature decreases. In the last part of the paper, we design a large LED (56 mm2 emitting area) and test its potential for LiFi-like communication. In such an approach, the LED is not only a lightning source but also used to transmit a communication signal to a PbS quantum dot solar cell used as a broadband photodetector. Operating conditions compatible with both lighting and information transfer have been identified. This work paves the way toward an all NC-based communication setup.

Pushing Absorption of Perovskite Nanocrystals into the Infrared.

To date, defect-tolerance electronic structure of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals is limited to an optical feature in the visible range. Here, we demonstrate that IR sensitization of formamidinium lead iodine (FAPI) nanocrystal array can be obtained by its doping with PbS nanocrystals. In this hybrid array, absorption comes from the PbS nanocrystals while transport is driven by the perovskite which reduces the dark current compared to pristine PbS. In addition, we fabricate a field-effect transistor using a high capacitance ionic glass made of hybrid FAPI/PbS nanocrystal arrays. We show that the hybrid material has an n-type nature with an electron mobility of 2 × 10-3 cm2 V-1 s-1. However, the dark current reduction is mostly balanced by a loss of absorption. To overcome this limitation, we couple the FAPI/PbS hybrid to a guided mode resonator that can enhance the infrared light absorption.

Clean Interface Contact Using a ZnO Interlayer for Low-Contact-Resistance MoS2 Transistors.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have emerged as promising materials for next-generation electronics due to their excellent semiconducting properties. However, high contact resistance at the metal-TMDC interface plagues the realization of high-performance devices. Here, an effective metal-interlayer-semiconductor (MIS) contact is demonstrated, wherein an ultrathin ZnO interlayer is inserted between the metal electrode and MoS2, providing damage-free and clean interfaces at electrical contacts. Using TEM imaging, we show that the contact interfaces were atomically clean without any apparent damages. Compared to conventional Ti/MoS2 contacts, the MoS2 devices with a Ti/ZnO/MoS2 contact exhibit a very low contact resistance of 0.9 kΩ µm. These improvements are attributed to the following mechanisms: (a) Fermi-level depinning at the metal/MoS2 interface by reducing interface disorder and (b) presence of interface dipole at the metal/ZnO interface, consequently reducing the Schottky barrier and contact resistance. Further, the contact resistivity of a Ti/ZnO/MoS2 contact is insensitive to the variation of ZnO thickness, which facilitates large-scale production. Our work not only elucidates the underlying mechanisms for the operation of the MIS contact but also provides a simple and damage-free strategy for conventional aggressive metal deposition that is potentially useful for the realization of large-scale 2D electronics with low-resistance contacts.

Defect-Assisted Contact Property Enhancement in a Molybdenum Disulfide Monolayer.

Contact engineering for two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is crucial for realizing high-performance 2D TMDC devices, and most studies on contact properties of 2D TMDCs have mainly focused on Fermi level unpinning. Here, we investigated electrical and photoelectrical properties of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) monolayer devices depending on metal contacts, Ti/Pt, Ti/Au, Ti, and Ag, and particularly demonstrated the essential role of defects in MoS2 in contact properties. Remarkably, MoS2 devices with Ag contacts show a field-effect mobility of 12.2 cm2 V-1 s-1, an on/off current ratio of 7 × 107, and a photoresponsivity of 1020 A W-1, which are outstanding compared to similar devices with other metal contacts. These improvements are attributed to a reduced Schottky barrier height, thanks to the small work function of Ag and Ag-MoS2 orbital hybridization at the interface, which facilitates efficient charge transfer between MoS2 and Ag. Interestingly, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis reveals that Ag2S was formed in our defect-containing CVD-grown MoS2 monolayer, but such orbital hybridization is not observed in a nearly defect-free exfoliated MoS2. This distinction shows that defects existing in MoS2 enable Ag to effectively couple to MoS2 and correspondingly enhance multiple electrical and photoelectrical properties.

Lowering the Schottky Barrier Height by Graphene/Ag Electrodes for High-Mobility MoS2 Field-Effect Transistors.

2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have emerged as promising candidates for post-silicon nanoelectronics owing to their unique and outstanding semiconducting properties. However, contact engineering for these materials to create high-performance devices while adapting for large-area fabrication is still in its nascent stages. In this study, graphene/Ag contacts are introduced into MoS2 devices, for which a graphene film synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is inserted between a CVD-grown MoS2 film and a Ag electrode as an interfacial layer. The MoS2 field-effect transistors with graphene/Ag contacts show improved electrical and photoelectrical properties, achieving a field-effect mobility of 35 cm2 V-1 s-1 , an on/off current ratio of 4 × 108 , and a photoresponsivity of 2160 A W-1 , compared to those of devices with conventional Ti/Au contacts. These improvements are attributed to the low work function of Ag and the tunability of graphene Fermi level; the n-doping of Ag in graphene decreases its Fermi level, thereby reducing the Schottky barrier height and contact resistance between the MoS2 and electrodes. This demonstration of contact interface engineering with CVD-grown MoS2 and graphene is a key step toward the practical application of atomically thin TMDC-based devices with low-resistance contacts for high-performance large-area electronics and optoelectronics.

Effect of ribbon width on electrical transport properties of graphene nanoribbons.

There has been growing interest in developing nanoelectronic devices based on graphene because of its superior electrical properties. In particular, patterning graphene into a nanoribbon can open a bandgap that can be tuned by changing the ribbon width, imparting semiconducting properties. In this study, we report the effect of ribbon width on electrical transport properties of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). Monolayer graphene sheets and Si nanowires (NWs) were prepared by chemical vapor deposition and a combination of nanosphere lithography and metal-assisted electroless etching from a Si wafer, respectively. Back-gated GNR field-effect transistors were fabricated on a heavily p-doped Si substrate coated with a 300 nm-thick SiO2 layer, by O2 reactive ion etching of graphene sheets using etch masks based on Si NWs aligned on the graphene between the two electrodes by a dielectrophoresis method. This resulted in GNRs with various widths in a highly controllable manner, where the on/off current ratio was inversely proportional to ribbon width. The field-effect mobility decreased with decreasing GNR widths due to carrier scattering at the GNR edges. These results demonstrate the formation of a bandgap in GNRs due to enhanced carrier confinement in the transverse direction and edge effects when the GNR width is reduced.

Sulfur vacancy-induced reversible doping of transition metal disulfides via hydrazine treatment.

Chemical doping of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) has drawn significant interest because of its applicability to the modification of electrical and optical properties of TMDCs. This is of fundamental and technological importance for high-efficiency electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, we present a simple and facile route to reversible and controllable modulation of the electrical and optical properties of WS2 and MoS2via hydrazine doping and sulfur annealing. Hydrazine treatment of WS2 improves the field-effect mobilities, on/off current ratios, and photoresponsivities of the devices. This is due to the surface charge transfer doping of WS2 and the sulfur vacancies formed by its reduction, which result in an n-type doping effect. The changes in the electrical and optical properties are fully recovered when the WS2 is annealed in an atmosphere of sulfur. This method for reversible modulation can be applied to other transition metal disulfides including MoS2, which may enable the fabrication of two-dimensional electronic and optoelectronic devices with tunable properties and improved performance.

Chemically Functionalized, Well-Dispersed Carbon Nanotubes in Lithium-Doped Zinc Oxide for Low-Cost, High-Performance Thin-Film Transistors.

Surface-functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are introduced into lithium-doped ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs) as an alternative to the conventional incorporation of an expensive element, indium. The crucial role of surface functionalization of CNTs is clarified with the demonstration of indium-free ZnO-based TFTs with a field-effect mobility of 28.6 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and an on/off current ratio of 9 × 10(6) for low-cost, high-performance electronics.

Fabrication of Sn-3.5Ag Eutectic Alloy Powder by Annealing Sub-Micrometer Sn@Ag Powder Prepared by Citric Acid-Assisted Ag Immersion Plating.

A Sn-3.5Ag eutectic alloy powder has been developed by chemically synthesizing sub-micrometer Sn@Ag powder at room temperature. This synthesis was achieved by first obtaining a sub-micrometer Sn powder for the core using a modified variant of the polyol method, and then coating this with a uniformly thin and continuous Ag layer through immersion plating in 5.20 mM citric acid. The citric acid was found to play multiple roles in the Ag coating process, acting as a chelating agent, a reducing agent and a stabilizer to ensure coating uniformity; and as such, the amount used has an immense influence on the coating quality of the Ag shells. It was later verified by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis that the coated Ag layer transfers to the Sn core via diffusion to form an Ag3Sn phase at room temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry also revealed that the synthesized Sn@Ag powder is nearly transformed into Sn-3.5Ag eutectic alloy powder upon annealing three times at a temperature of up to 250 degrees C, as evidenced by a single melting peak at 220.5 degrees C. It was inferred from this that Sn-3.5Ag eutectic alloy powder can be successfully prepared through the synthesis of core Sn powders by a modified polyol method, immersion plating using citric acid, and annealing, in that order.

Chemically Driven, Water-Soluble Composites of Carbon Nanotubes and Silver Nanoparticles as Stretchable Conductors.

In the past decade, hybrid materials for highly stretchable, conductive electrodes have received tremendous attention in the fields of emerging wearable electronic, optoelectronic, and sensing devices. Here, we present a previously unrecognized aqueous route to producing stretchable conductors composed of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) embedded in a polyurethane (PU) matrix, in contrast to ones dispersed in toxic organic solvents reported to date. The intact chemical interaction between one-dimensional SWNTs, for endowing the capability of establishing conductive pathways even in stretching conditions, and AgNPs, for enabling high conductivity of the composites, is achieved in an aqueous medium with an anionic polyelectrolyte, poly(acrylic acid), that undergoes pH-dependent conformational evolution. With this aqueous approach, we demonstrate that AgNP-SWNT-PU composites supported on PDMS substrates have the conductivities of 620 and 120 S cm-1 in unstrained and 90% elongated conditions, respectively, and display repeatable reversibility at a strain of 60%.