Projects Details

Ultimate Scaling and Performance Potential of MoS2 FETs

  
Project Number I4123-N30   
Principal Investigator Tibor Grasser
Scientists/Scholars Yury Illarionov
Theresia Knobloch
Christoph Kandolf
Jakob Michl
Scientific Fields Fundamental Research 100%
Approval Date 14. April 2019
Start of Project 30. April 2019
End of Project 29. April 2023
Additional Information Entry in FWF Database

Abstract

2D materials beyond graphene have gained enormous attention since a transistor with a two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) channel was demonstrated in 2011. Currently,research on these materials for electronic applications is under way worldwide, in particular on the 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), with MoS2 as the most prominent representative. MoS2 possesses a sizeable band gap and therefore shows great promise for future digital electronics. The processing technology for MoS2, however, is still in its infancy and many questions regarding the potential of MoS2 transistors are still open. This makes it currently extremely difficult, if not impossible, to assess the performance and scaling limits of MoS2 transistors and to judge the prospects of these devices for future electronics. This situation provides the motivation for the present project, which is focused on the fabrication technology, theory and simulation of ultimately scaled MoS2 field effect transistors (FETs). The three project partners, two from Germany and one from Austria, with recognized and perfectly complementary expertise in 2D transistor theory and (nano-) fabrication will conduct systematic and exploratory research on MoS2 transistors and address the following objectives:

- Exploration of the scaling behavior of MoS2 FETs by thorough and comprehensive in-depth experimental and theoretical studies.

- Demonstration of MoS2 top-gate transistors with sub-10nm gate lengths.

- Critical assessment of the prospects of ultimately scaled single-and multilayer MoS2 FETs considering processing constraints, switching speeds and non-idealities such as charge-trappingrelated issues.

- Assessment of p-type operation potential of MoS2 FETs.

The partners will utilize state-of-the-art nanofabrication technology to explore the scaling limits of MoS2 FETs. Extensive work on device theory and simulation will be performed to get better insights in the physics and in the performance and scaling limits of TMD MOSFETs. The theoretical work will be closely linked to the experiments and be used to elaborate suitable designs for MoS2 FETs, taking into account the specifics of the processing environment as well as non-idealities such as charge trapping effects. Complete process flows for ultra-scaled MoS2 FETs will be established, including modules for gate dielectric deposition, boron nitride encapsulation and Ohmic contact formation. The resulting range of test structures and transistors from chemical vapor deposited films, including high frequency transistors for extracting switching delays, will undergo thorough analysis and characterization whose results, in turn, will be fed back to the theoretical work. The project will result in significant enhancements of the understanding of the physics, the scaling behavior and the process integration of MoS2 FETs and in a sound assessment of their merits and drawbacks.

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