A two-dimensional (2D) nonvolatile memory device architecture to improve the long-term charge retention with the minimum charge loss without compromising storage capacity and the extinction ratio for practical applications has been an imminent demand. To address the current issue, we adopted a novel type-II band-aligned heterobilayer channel comprising vertically stacked monolayer WSe2 nanodots on monolayer WS2. The band offset modulation leads to electron doping from WSe2 nanodots into the WS2 channel without any external driving electric field. As a result, the tested device outperformed with a memory window as high as 34 V and a negligible charge loss of 7% in a retention period of 10 years while maintaining a high extinction ratio of 106. The doping technique presented in this work provides a feasible route to modulate the electrical properties of 2D channel materials without hampering charge transport, paving the way for high-performance 2D memory devices.
Keywords: WS2; WSe2; doping; graphene; hBN; heterostructure; nanodots; staggered gap; two-dimensional nonvolatile memory (2D-NVM); type-II.