Contact engineering high-performance ambipolar multilayer tellurium transistors

Nanotechnology. 2020 Mar 13;31(11):115204. doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/ab5bec. Epub 2019 Nov 26.

Abstract

Multilayer Te nanosheets have attracted increasing attention due to their high-performance electronic transport properties and good air-stability. Theoretical simulation suggests that the electronic properties of multilayer Te nanosheets could be effectively modulated by contact engineering, but most studies have reported p-type multilayer Te devices. Here, for the first time, we report on high performance ambipolar multilayer Te filed-effect-transistors (FETs) with low work function scandium (Sc, 3.58 eV), demonstrating high mobilities of 489 and 648 cm2V-1s-1 for electron and hole transport, respectively. Multilayer Te FETs with large work function metals, such as chromium (Cr, 4.5 eV), show a typical p-type transport behavior. The band structure of multilayer Te with a small bandgap and low work function Sc result in a small contact resistance (R c) for both of electron and hole transport, which leads to the ambipolar behavior of multilayer Te nanosheets. The ambipolar behavior of multilayer Te FETs indicates that contact engineering is a valid tool to tune the electrical properties of multilayer Te and raises the possibility of designing digital circuits based on multilayer Te.