Search

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have great potential for future high-performance and energy-efficient transistor technology. To realize this potential, methods to dope the CNTs need to be developed to achieve low parasitic resistance of the transistor. Two key issues present themselves: (a) understanding the doping mechanism of the various methods and (b) stability of the doping method. For instance, although studies on molybdenum oxide (MoOx) demonstrate its ability to heavily dope nanomaterials, the interaction between MoOx and the CNT is unclear. Here, we observe an unstable effect of MoOx on the CNT and demonstrate dielectric passivation as a means to preserve the doping strength. The semiconducting CNTs exhibit greater than 103× reduction in resistance after stably doped with MoOx. By exploiting the instability of MoOx, we delve deeper into clarifying the doping mechanism. The relationship between the time-dependent material property of MoOx and the change in the electrical measurements of CNT devices is investigated to study the role of work function in doping the CNTs. We conclude that the doping mechanism of MoOx on the CNT is due to bandgap modulation by charge transfer, which occurs due to the difference in work function between MoOx and the CNT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase Change Memory (PCM) is a leading candidate for next generation data storage, but it typically suffers from high switching (RESET) current density (20–30 MA/cm2). Interfacial Phase Change Memory (IPCM) is a type of PCM using multilayers of Sb2Te3/GeTe, with up to 100× lower reported RESET current compared to the standard Ge2Sb2Te5-based PCM. Several hypotheses involving fundamentally new switching mechanisms have been proposed to explain the low switching current densities, but consensus is lacking. Here, we investigate IPCM switching by analyzing its thermal, electrical, and fabrication dependencies. First, we measure the effective thermal conductivity (∼0.4 W m−1 K−1) and thermal boundary resistance (∼3.4 m2 K GW−1) of Sb2Te3/GeTe multilayers. Simulations show that IPCM thermal properties account only for an ∼13% reduction of current vs standard PCM and cannot explain previously reported results. Interestingly, electrical measurements reveal that our IPCM RESET indeed occurs by a melt-quench process, similar to PCM. Finally, we find that high deposition temperature causes defects including surface roughness and voids within the multilayer films. Thus, the substantial RESET current reduction of IPCM appears to be caused by voids within the multilayers, which migrate to the bottom electrode interface by thermophoresis, reducing the effective contact area. These results shed light on the IPCM switching mechanism, suggesting that an improved control of layer deposition is necessary to obtain reliable switching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we introduce a novel nonalloyed contact structure for n-GaAs and n-In0.53Ga0.47As by using single metals in combination with a thin dielectric to tune the effective metal/III-V work function toward the conduction band edge. We reduced the effective Schottky barrier height ([uppercase_phi_synonym]B,eff) of Al/GaAs from 0.75 to 0.17 eV through the use of a thin atomic layer deposition Al2O3. Barrier height reduction was verified for a variety of metals (Y, Er, Al, Ti, and W) through direct measurements and deduced from increased diode current and reduced contact resistance. Similar results were observed on n-In0.53Ga0.47As. Two possible underlying mechanisms are discussed: one based on the formation of a dielectric dipole and the other based on the blocking of metal induced gap states. This structure has applications as a nonalloyed low resistance ohmic contact for III-V metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) or high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), and as a near zero barrier height contact for III-V Schottky barrier field-effect transistors or diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we investigate a low temperature boron (B) and phosphorus (P) activation in amorphous (α)-Ge using metal-induced crystallization technique. Eight candidates of metals (Pd, Cu, Ni, Au, Co, Al, Pt, and Ti) are used to crystallize the α-Ge at a low temperature. Resistivity measurement, transmission electron microscopy, and x-ray diffraction analyses reveal behaviors of the metal-induced dopant activation process using the metals reacting with α-Ge. It is revealed that Co achieves the highest B and P activation ratio in Ge below 360 °C with a slow diffusion rate. This method can be utilized to activate gate, source, and drain of transistors on upper layers in three-dimensional integrated circuits, where low temperature processing is critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schottky barrier height modulation in metal/Ge Schottky junction was demonstrated by inserting an ultrathin interfacial silicon nitride layer. The SiN interfacial layer suppressed strong Fermi level pinning in metal/Ge Schottky junction, which resulted in effective control of Schottky barrier height. Metal/SiN/Ge Schottky diode was systematically investigated in terms of SiN thickness dependence and metal work function dependence. At an optimal SiN thickness, Ohmic contact between metal and Ge was obtained as a result of Fermi level depinning, and almost ideal Schottky barrier height determined by the work function difference between the metal and Ge was achieved. This technology was finally applied to metal source/drain Ge metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors with low source/drain resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a fully analytical ballistic theory of carbon nanotube field effect transistors enabled by the development of an analytical surface potential capturing the temperature dependence and gate and quantum capacitance electrostatics. The analytical ballistic theory is compared to the experimental results of a ballistic transistor with good agreement. The validated analytical theory enables intuitive circuit design, provides techniques for parameter extraction of the bandgap and surface potential, and elucidates on the device physics of drain optical phonon scattering and its role in reducing the linear conductance and intrinsic gain of the transistor. Furthermore, a threshold voltage definition is proposed reflecting the bandgap-diameter dependence. Projections for key analog and digital performances are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystallization behavior of scalable phase change materials can be studied on nanoscale structures. In this paper, high density ordered phase change nanodot arrays were fabricated using the lift-off technique on a self-assembled diblock copolymer template, polystyrene-poly(methyl-methacrylate). The size of the nanodots was less than 15 nm in diameter with 40 nm spacing. This method is quite flexible regarding the patterned materials and can be used on different substrates. The crystallization behavior of small scale phase change nanodot arrays was studied using time-resolved x-ray diffraction, which showed the phase transition for different materials such as Ge15Sb85, Ge2Sb2Te5, and Ag and In doped Sb2Te. The transition temperatures of these nanodot samples were also compared with their corresponding blanket thin films, and it was found that the nanodots had higher crystallization temperatures and crystallized over a broader temperature range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A full-band analytical model of the equilibrium carrier density for single-wall semiconducting carbon nanotubes (sCNTs) is presented. The carrier density, which is a fundamental property of all semiconductors, is obtained using a semiempirical method for degenerate positions of the Fermi level and shows good agreement with numerical tight-binding results. The quantum capacitance is subsequently derived from the carrier density and used to develop a C-V model with good agreement with experimental quantum capacitance measurements. An analytical model of the gate coupling function of sCNTs is also reported which relates the internal surface potential with the external applied gate voltage. The diameter temperature and Fermi level dependency, and the essential properties of carbon nanotubes device physics are captured in these analytical equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-induced crystallization method is used for examining a low temperature boron (B) and phosphorus (P) activation in amorphous ([alpha])-Ge. The method is used to activate gate, source and drain of transistors on upper layers in three-dimensional integrated circuits, where low temperature processing is very important.

High density ordered phase change nanodot arrays are prepared by using the lift-offs technique on a self-assembled diblock copolymer template, polystyrene-poly(methyl-methacrylate). The transition temperatures of these nanodot samples are compared with their corresponding blanket thin films and it is shown that the nanodots have higher crystallization temperatures and crystallized over a broad temperature range.

A full-band analytical model of the equilibrium carrier density for single-wall semiconducting carbon nanotubes (sCNTs) is described. An analytical model of the gate coupling function of sCNTs is described that has related the internal surface potential with the external applied gate voltage.