Self-Limiting Layer Synthesis of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides.

This work reports the self-limiting synthesis of an atomically thin, two dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) in the form of MoS2. The layer controllability and large area uniformity essential for electronic and optical device applications is achieved through atomic layer deposition in what is named self-limiting layer synthesis (SLS); a process in which the number of layers is determined by temperature rather than process cycles due to the chemically inactive nature of 2D MoS2. Through spectroscopic and microscopic investigation it is demonstrated that SLS is capable of producing MoS2 with a wafer-scale (~10 cm) layer-number uniformity of more than 90%, which when used as the active layer in a top-gated field-effect transistor, produces an on/off ratio as high as 10(8). This process is also shown to be applicable to WSe2, with a PN diode fabricated from a MoS2/WSe2 heterostructure exhibiting gate-tunable rectifying characteristics.

Black Phosphorus-Zinc Oxide Nanomaterial Heterojunction for p-n Diode and Junction Field-Effect Transistor.

Black phosphorus (BP) nanosheet is two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor with distinct band gap and attracting recent attention from researches because it has some similarity to gapless 2D semiconductor graphene in the following two aspects: single element (P) for its composition and quite high mobilities depending on its fabrication conditions. Apart from several electronic applications reported with BP nanosheet, here we report for the first time BP nanosheet-ZnO nanowire 2D-1D heterojunction applications for p-n diodes and BP-gated junction field effect transistors (JFETs) with n-ZnO channel on glass. For these nanodevices, we take advantages of the mechanical flexibility of p-type conducting of BP and van der Waals junction interface between BP and ZnO. As a result, our BP-ZnO nanodimension p-n diode displays a high ON/OFF ratio of ∼10(4) in static rectification and shows kilohertz dynamic rectification as well while ZnO nanowire channel JFET operations are nicely demonstrated by BP gate switching in both electrostatics and kilohertz dynamics.

Static and Dynamic Performance of Complementary Inverters Based on Nanosheet α-MoTe2 p-Channel and MoS2 n-Channel Transistors.

Molybdenum ditelluride (α-MoTe2) is an emerging transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) semiconductor that has been attracting attention due to its favorable optical and electronic properties. Field-effect transistors (FETs) based on few-layer α-MoTe2 nanosheets have previously shown ambipolar behavior with strong p-type and weak n-type conduction. We have employed a direct imprinting technique following mechanical nanosheet exfoliation to fabricate high-performance complementary inverters using α-MoTe2 as the semiconductor for the p-channel FETs and MoS2 as the semiconductor for the n-channel FETs. To avoid ambipolar behavior and produce α-MoTe2 FETs with clean p-channel characteristics, we have employed the high-workfunction metal platinum for the source and drain contacts. As a result, our α-MoTe2 nanosheet p-channel FETs show hole mobilities up to 20 cm(2)/(V s), on/off ratios up to 10(5), and a subthreshold slope of 255 mV/decade. For our complementary inverters composed of few-layer α-MoTe2 p-channel FETs and MoS2 n-channel FETs we have obtained voltage gains as high as 33, noise margins as high as 0.38 VDD, a switching delay of 25 µs, and a static power consumption of a few nanowatts.

Columnar deformation of human red blood cell by highly localized fiber optic Bessel beam stretcher.

A single human red blood cell was optically stretched along two counter-propagating fiber-optic Bessel-like beams in an integrated lab-on-a-chip structure. The beam enabled highly localized stretching of RBC, and it induced a nonlinear mechanical deformation to finally reach an irreversible columnar shape that has not been reported. We characterized and systematically quantified this optically induced mechanical deformation by the geometrical aspect ratio of stretched RBC and the irreversible stretching time. The proposed RBC mechanism can realize a versatile and compact opto-mechanical platform for optical diagnosis of biological substances in the single cell level.

Low Power Consumption Complementary Inverters with n-MoS2 and p-WSe2 Dichalcogenide Nanosheets on Glass for Logic and Light-Emitting Diode Circuits.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials with discrete bandgap become important because of their interesting physical properties and potentials toward future nanoscale electronics. Many 2D-based field effect transistors (FETs) have thus been reported. Several attempts to fabricate 2D complementary (CMOS) logic inverters have been made too. However, those CMOS devices seldom showed the most important advantage of typical CMOS: low power consumption. Here, we adopted p-WSe2 and n-MoS2 nanosheets separately for the channels of bottom-gate-patterned FETs, to fabricate 2D dichalcogenide-based hetero-CMOS inverters on the same glass substrate. Our hetero-CMOS inverters with electrically isolated FETs demonstrate novel and superior device performances of a maximum voltage gain as ∼27, sub-nanowatt power consumption, almost ideal noise margin approaching 0.5VDD (supply voltage, VDD=5 V) with a transition voltage of 2.3 V, and ∼800 µs for switching delay. Moreover, our glass-substrate CMOS device nicely performed digital logic (NOT, OR, and AND) and push-pull circuits for organic light-emitting diode switching, directly displaying the prospective of practical applications.

Dual Gate Black Phosphorus Field Effect Transistors on Glass for NOR Logic and Organic Light Emitting Diode Switching.

We have fabricated dual gate field effect transistors (FETs) with 12 nm-thin black phosphorus (BP) channel on glass substrate, where our BP FETs have a patterned-gate architecture with 30 nm-thick Al2O3 dielectrics on top and bottom of a BP channel. Top gate dielectric has simultaneously been used as device encapsulation layer, controlling the threshold voltage of FETs as well when FETs mainly operate under bottom gate bias. Bottom, top, and dual gate-controlling mobilities were estimated to be 277, 92, and 213 cm(2)/V s, respectively. Maximum ON-current was measured to be ∼5 µA at a drain voltage of -0.1 V but to be as high as ∼50 µA at -1 V, while ON/OFF current ratio appeared to be 3.6 × 10(3) V. As a result, our dual gate BP FETs demonstrate organic light emitting diode (OLED) switching for green and blue OLEDs, also demonstrating NOR logic functions by separately using top- and bottom-input.

Metal Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor with MoS2/Conducting NiO(x) van der Waals Schottky Interface for Intrinsic High Mobility and Photoswitching Speed.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheet, one of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, has recently been regarded as a promising material to break through the limit of present semiconductors. With an apparent energy band gap, it certainly provides a high carrier mobility, superior subthreshold swing, and ON/OFF ratio in field-effect transistors (FETs). However, its potential in carrier mobility has still been depreciated since the field-effect mobilities have only been measured from metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) FETs, where the transport behavior of conducting carriers located at the insulator/MoS2 interface is unavoidably interfered by the interface traps and gate voltage. Moreover, thin MoS2 MISFETs have always shown large hysteresis with unpredictable negative threshold voltages. Here, we for the first time report MoS2-based metal semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs) using NiOx Schottky electrode which makes van der Waals interface with MoS2. We thus expect that the maximum mobilities or carrier transport behavior of the Schottky devices may hardly be interfered by interface traps or an on-state gate field. Our MESFETs with a few and ∼10 layer MoS2 demonstrate intrinsic-like high mobilities of 500-1200 cm(2)/(V s) at a certain low threshold voltage between -1 and -2 V without much hysteresis. Moreover, they work as a high speed and highly sensitive phototransistor with 2 ms switching and ∼5000 A/W, respectively, supporting their high intrinsic mobility results.

Trap density probing on top-gate MoS2 nanosheet field-effect transistors by photo-excited charge collection spectroscopy.

Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) field-effect transistors (FETs) have been extensively studied, but most of the FETs with gate insulators have displayed negative threshold voltage values, which indicates the presence of interfacial traps both shallow and deep in energy level. Despite such interface trap issues, reports on trap densities in MoS2 are quite limited. Here, we probed top-gate MoS2 FETs with two- (2L), three- (3L), and four-layer (4L) MoS2/dielectric interfaces to quantify deep-level interface trap densities by photo-excited charge collection spectroscopy (PECCS), and reported the result that deep-level trap densities over 10(12) cm(-2) may exist in the interface and bulk MoS2 near the interface. Transfer curve hysteresis and PECCS measurements show that shallow traps and deep traps are not that different in density order from each other. We conclude that our PECCS analysis distinguishably provides valuable information on deep level interface/bulk trap densities in 2D-based FETs.

Few-Layer MoS2-Organic Thin-Film Hybrid Complementary Inverter Pixel Fabricated on a Glass Substrate.

Few-layer MoS2-organic thin-film hybrid complementary inverters demonstrate a great deal of device performance with a decent voltage gain of ≈12, a few hundred pW power consumption, and 480 Hz switching speed. As fabricated on glass, this hybrid CMOS inverter operates as a light-detecting pixel as well, using a thin MoS2 channel.

High-gain subnanowatt power consumption hybrid complementary logic inverter with WSe2 nanosheet and ZnO nanowire transistors on glass.

A 1D-2D hybrid complementary logic inverter comprising of ZnO nanowire and WSe2 nanosheet field-effect transistors (FETs) is fabricated on glass, which shows excellent static and dynamic electrical performances with a voltage gain of ≈60, sub-nanowatt power consumption, and at least 1 kHz inverting speed.

Simultaneous protection of organic p- and n-channels in complementary inverter from aging and bias-stress by DNA-base guanine/Al2O3 double layer.

Although organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have various advantages of lightweight, low-cost, mechanical flexibility, and nowadays even higher mobility than amorphous Si-based FET, stability issue under bias and ambient condition critically hinder its practical application. One of the most detrimental effects on organic layer comes from penetrated atmospheric species such as oxygen and water. To solve such degradation problems, several molecular engineering tactics are introduced: forming a kinetic barrier, lowering the level of molecule orbitals, and increasing the band gap. However, direct passivation of organic channels, the most promising strategy, has not been reported as often as other methods. Here, we resolved the ambient stability issues of p-type (heptazole)/or n-type (PTCDI-C13) OFETs and their bias-stability issues at once, using DNA-base small molecule guanine (C5H5N5O)/Al2O3 bilayer. The guanine protects the organic channels as buffer/and H getter layer between the channels and capping Al2O3, whereas the oxide capping resists ambient molecules. As a result, both p-type and n-type OFETs are simultaneously protected from gate-bias stress and 30 days-long ambient aging, finally demonstrating a highly stable, high-gain complementary-type logic inverter.

Small-dose-sensitive X-ray image pixel with HgI2 photoconductor and amorphous oxide thin-film transistor.

A new X-ray image sensor is demonstrated with an oxide thin-film transistor backplane and HgI2 sensing material. It displays outstanding image quality under a low X-ray exposure and a low electric field. It is promising as a state-of-the-art device to realize highly resolved images at a low X-ray dose for a variety of medical X-ray imaging applications.

Multifunctional Schottky-diode circuit comprising palladium/molybdenum disulfide nanosheet.

Many electron devices using two-dimensional dichalcogenide MoS2 have been reported beyond graphene, but those were mostly field-effect transistors except few while P-N or Schottky diode form devices should be also important. In the present study, we have fabricated a Pd-driven MoS2 Schottky diode and its related circuits for multifunctional applications: dynamic electrical rectifier, visible light sensor, and hydrogen gas sensor.

Molybdenum disulfide nanoflake-zinc oxide nanowire hybrid photoinverter.

We demonstrate a hybrid inverter-type nanodevice composed of a MoS2 nanoflake field-effect transistor (FET) and ZnO nanowire Schottky diode on one substrate, aiming at a one-dimensional (1D)-two-dimensional (2D) hybrid integrated electronic circuit with multifunctional capacities of low power consumption, high gain, and photodetection. In the present work, we used a nanotransfer printing method using polydimethylsiloxane for the fabrication of patterned bottom-gate MoS2 nanoflake FETs, so that they could be placed near the ZnO nanowire Schottky diodes that were initially fabricated. The ZnO nanowire Schottky diode and MoS2 FET worked respectively as load and driver for a logic inverter, which exhibits a high voltage gain of ∼50 at a supply voltage of 5 V and also shows a low power consumption of less than 50 nW. Moreover, our inverter effectively operates as a photoinverter, detecting visible photons, since MoS2 FETs appear very photosensitive, while the serially connected ZnO nanowire Schottky diode was blind to visible light. Our 1D-2D hybrid nanoinverter would be quite promising for both logic and photosensing applications due to its performance and simple device configuration as well.

DNA-base guanine as hydrogen getter and charge-trapping layer embedded in oxide dielectrics for inorganic and organic field-effect transistors.

DNA-base small molecules of guanine, cytosine, adenine, and thymine construct the DNA double helix structure with hydrogen bonding, and they possess such a variety of intrinsic benefits as natural plentitude, biodegradability, biofunctionality, low cost, and low toxicity. On the basis of these advantages, here, we report on unprecedented useful applications of guanine layer as hydrogen getter and charge trapping layer when it is embedded into a dielectric oxide of n-channel inorganic InGaZnO and p-channel organic heptazole field effect transistors (FETs). The embedded guanine layer much improved the gate stability of inorganic FETs gettering many hydrogen atoms in the gate dielectric layer of FET, and it also played as charge trapping layer to which the voltage pulse-driven charges might be injected from channel, resulting in a threshold voltage (Vth) shift of FETs. Such shift state is very ambient-stable and almost irrevocable even under a high electric-field at room temperature. So, Boolean logics are nicely demonstrated by using our FETs with the guanine-embedded dielectric. The original Vth is recovered only under high energy blue photons by opposite voltage pulse (charge-ejection), which indicates that our device is also applicable to nonvolatile photo memory.

Sensing extremely limited H2 contents by Pd nanogap connected to an amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistor.

A palladium (Pd) nanogap-based thin-film has been connected to an electrically stable amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistor, to form a hydrogen sensor demonstrating a dramatic sensing capability. As a result of the Pd connection to the transistor source, our sensor circuit greatly enhances the hydrogen-induced signal and sensing speed in the sense of output voltage, clearly resolving a minimum hydrogen content of 0.05%. When the nanogap-based Pd thin-film was connected to the transistor gate, an extremely limited hydrogen content of even less than 0.05% was visibly detected through gate voltage shifts. Our results exhibit the most promising and practical ways to sense extremely limited hydrogen contents, originating from two methods: transistor-to-Pd nanogap resistor and transistor-to-Pd nanogap capacitor coupling.

Long single ZnO nanowire for logic and memory circuits: NOT, NAND, NOR gate, and SRAM.

We demonstrate logic and static random access memory (SRAM) circuits using a 100 µm long and 100 nm thin single ZnO nanowire (NW), which acts as a channel of field-effect transistors (FETs) with Al2O3 dielectrics. NW FETs are thus arrayed in one dimension to consist of NOT, NAND, and NOR gate logic, and SRAM circuits. Two respective top-gate NW FETs with Au and indium-tin-oxide (ITO) were connected to form an inverter, the basic NOT gate component, since the former gate leads to an enhanced mode FET while the latter to depletion mode due to their work function difference. Our inverters showed a high voltage gain of 22 under a 5 V operational voltage, resulting in successful operation of all other devices. We thus conclude that our long single NW approach is quite promising to extend the field of nano-electronics.

Photoelectric probing of the interfacial trap density-of-states in ZnO nanowire field-effect transistors.

We have fabricated transparent top-gate ZnO nanowire (NW) field effect transistors (FETs) on glass and measured their trap density-of-states (DOS) at the dielectric/ZnO NW interface with monochromatic photon beams during their operation. Our photon-probe method showed clear signatures of charge trap DOS at the interface, located near 2.3, 2.7, and 2.9 eV below the conduction band edge. The DOS information was utilized for the photo-detecting application of our transparent NW-FETs, which demonstrated fast and sensitive photo-detection of visible lights.