Toward Stable Solution-Processed High-Mobility p-Type Thin Film Transistors Based on Halide Perovskites

Ion migration in p-type perovskite MAPbI3 films under an electric field and thin-film transistor device failure

This study demonstrated a dynamic analysis to investigate the ion migration in p-type perovskite MAPbI3 films under an electric field, revealing its detrimental effects on the electrical performance of MAPbI3-based devices. An additive strategy was proposed to suppress ion migration, thereby facilitating the fabrication of high-performance MAPbI3-based devices.

Direct Observation of Contact Reaction Induced Ion Migration and its Effect on Non-Ideal Charge Transport in Lead Triiodide Perovskite Field-Effect Transistors

The migration of ionic defects and electrochemical reactions with metal electrodes remains one of the most important research challenges for organometal halide perovskite optoelectronic devices. There is still a lack of understanding of how the formation of mobile ionic defects impact charge carrier transport and operational device stability, particularly in perovskite field-effect transistors (FETs), which tend to exhibit anomalous device characteristics. Here, the evolution of the n-type FET characteristics of one of the most widely studied materials, Cs0.05 FA0.17 MA0.78 PbI3, is investigated during repeated measurement cycles as a function of different metal source-drain contacts and precursor stoichiometry. The channel current increases for high work function metals and decreases for low work function metals when multiple cycles of transfer characteristics are measured. The cycling behavior is also sensitive to the precursor stoichiometry. These metal/stoichiometry-dependent device non-idealities are correlated with the quenching of photoluminescence near the positively biased electrode. Based on elemental analysis using electron microscopy the observations can be understood by an n-type doping effect of metallic ions that are created by an electrochemical interaction at the metal-semiconductor interface and migrate into the channel. The findings improve the understanding of ion migration, contact reactions, and the origin of non-idealities in lead triiodide perovskite FETs.

Optoelectronic Devices of Large-Scale Transferred All-Inorganic Lead Halide Perovskite Thin Films

We report the large-scale transfer process for monocrystalline CsPbBr₃ thin films prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with excellent optical properties and stability. The transfer process is robust, simple, and effective, in which CsPbBr₃ thin films could be transferred to several substrates and effectively avoid chemical or physical fabrication processes to damage the perovskite surface. Moreover, the transfer process endows CsPbBr₃ and substrates with atomically clean and electronically flat interfaces. We utilize this transfer process to realize several optoelectronic devices, including a photonic laser with a threshold of 61 μJ/cm², a photodetector with a responsivity of 2.4 A/W, and a transistor with a hole mobility of 11.47 cm² V^-1 s^-1. High device performances mainly originate from low defects of high-quality single-crystal perovskite and seamless contact between CsPbBr₃ and target substrates. The large-scale nondestructive transfer process provides promising opportunities for optoelectronic applications based on monocrystalline perovskites.

Performance Enhancement of Lead-Free 2D Tin Halide Perovskite Transistors by Surface Passivation and Its Impact on Non-Volatile Photomemory Characteristics

Two-dimensional (2D) tin (Sn)-based perovskites have recently received increasing research attention for perovskite transistor application. Although some progress is made, Sn-based perovskites have long suffered from easy oxidation from Sn²⁺ to Sn⁴⁺ , leading to undesirable p-doping and instability. In this study, it is demonstrated that surface passivation by phenethylammonium iodide (PEAI) and 4-fluorophenethylammonium iodide (FPEAI) effectively passivates surface defects in 2D phenethylammonium tin iodide (PEA₂ SnI₄ ) films, increases the grain size by surface recrystallization, and p-dopes the PEA₂ SnI₄ film to form a better energy-level alignment with the electrodes and promote charge transport properties. As a result, the passivated devices exhibit better ambient and gate bias stability, improved photo-response, and higher mobility, for example, 2.96 cm² V^-1 s^-1 for the FPEAI-passivated films-four times higher than the control film (0.76 cm² V^-1 s^-1 ). In addition, these perovskite transistors display non-volatile photomemory characteristics and are used as perovskite-transistor-based memories. Although the reduction of surface defects in perovskite films results in reduced charge retention time due to lower trap density, these passivated devices with better photoresponse and air stability show promise for future photomemory applications.

Low-Operating-Voltage Two-Dimensional Tin Perovskite Field-Effect Transistors with Multilayer Gate Dielectrics Based on a Fluorinated Copolymer

The fabrication of organic-inorganic perovskite field-effect transistors (FETs) with polymer gate dielectrics is challenging because of the solvent corrosion and wettability issues at interfaces. A few polymers have been integrated into perovskite transistors; however, these devices have high operating voltages due to low dielectric constants. Herein, poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE) with a high dielectric constant is introduced into bottom-gate phenylethylammonium tin iodide perovskite [(PEA)₂SnI₄] FETs. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and cross-linked poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVP) (CL-PVP) are used to address the issues of solvent corrosion and wettability. We design the PVDF-TrFE/PTFE and PVDF-TrFE/PTFE/CL-PVP dielectric layers, where the ferroelectric properties of PVDF-TrFE are reduced by PTFE. The (PEA)₂SnI₄ FETs operate at relatively low gate voltages, exhibiting good overall performance with average hole mobilities of 0.42 and 0.36 cm² V^-1 s^-1. Our findings provide a feasible strategy for constructing low-operating-voltage perovskite FETs with large-dielectric-constant ferroelectric polymers as gate dielectrics by a solution processing technique.

IR Spectroscopic Degradation Study of Thin Organometal Halide Perovskite Films

The advantages of IR spectroscopy include relatively fast analysis and sensitivity, which facilitate its wide application in the pharmaceutical, chemical and polymer sectors. Thus, IR spectroscopy provides an excellent opportunity to monitor the degradation and concomitant evolution of the molecular structure within a perovskite layer. As is well-known, one of the main limitations preventing the industrialization of perovskite solar cells is the relatively low resistance to various degradation factors. The aim of this work was to study the degradation of the surface of a perovskite thin film CH3NH3PbI3-xClx caused by atmosphere and light. To study the surface of CH3NH3PbI3-xClx, a scanning electron microscope, infrared (IR) spectroscopy and optical absorption were used. It is shown that the degradation of the functional layer of perovskite proceeds differently depending on the acting factor present in the surrounding atmosphere, whilst the chemical bonds are maintained within the perovskite crystal structure under nitrogen. However, when exposed to an ambient atmosphere, an expansion of the NH3+ band is observed, which is accompanied by a shift in the N-H stretching mode toward higher frequencies; this can be explained by the degradation of the perovskite surface due to hydration. This paper shows that the dissociation of H2O molecules under the influence of sunlight can adversely affect the efficiency and stability of the absorbing layer. This work presents an approach to the study of perovskite structural stability with the aim of developing alternative concepts to the fabrication of stable and sustainable perovskite solar cells.

Molecular-Switch-Embedded Solution-Processed Semiconductors

Recent improvements in the performance of solution-processed semiconductor materials and optoelectronic devices have shifted research interest to the diversification/advancement of their functionality. Embedding a molecular switch capable of transition between two or more metastable isomers by light stimuli is one of the most straightforward and widely accepted methods to potentially realize the multifunctionality of optoelectronic devices. A molecular switch embedded in a semiconductor can effectively control various parameters such as trap-level, dielectric constant, electrical resistance, charge mobility, and charge polarity, which can be utilized in photoprogrammable devices including transistors, memory, and diodes. This review classifies the mechanism of each optoelectronic transition driven by molecular switches regardless of the type of semiconductor material or molecular switch or device. In addition, the basic characteristics of molecular switches and the persisting technical/scientific issues corresponding to each mechanism are discussed to help researchers. Finally, interesting yet infrequently reported applications of molecular switches and their mechanisms are also described.

Synthesis of Vacancy-Controlled Copper Iodide Semiconductor for High-Performance p-Type Thin-Film Transistors

Copper iodide (CuI) has emerged as a promising p-type semiconductor material owing to its excellent carrier mobility, high transparency, and solution processability. Although CuI has potential for numerous applications, including perovskite solar cells, photovoltaic devices, and thin-film transistors (TFTs), the close relationship between the anion vacancy generation and the charge transport mechanism in CuI-based devices is underexplored. In this study, we propose solution-processed p-type CuI TFTs which were subject to the thermal annealing process in air and vacuum atmospheres at temperatures of 100, 200, and 300 °C. The chemical states and surface morphologies of the CuI thin films were systematically investigated, revealing the generation of iodine vacancy states and the reduction of carrier concentration, as well as increased film density and grain size according to the annealing condition. Further, the effective role of the Al₂O₃ passivation layer on the electrical characteristics of the solution-processed CuI TFTs is demonstrated for the first time, where the Al₂O₃ precursor greatly enhanced the electrical performance of the CuI TFTs, exhibiting a field-effect mobility of 4.02 cm²/V·s, a subthreshold swing of 0.61 V/decade, and an on/off current ratio of 1.12 × 10⁴, which exceed the values of CuI TFTs reported so far. Based on the synergistic effects of the annealing process and the passivation layer that engineered the iodine vacancy state and morphology of CuI, the proposed CuI TFTs with the Al₂O₃ passivation layer showed excellent reliability under 100 times repeated operation and long-term stability over 216 h, where the transfer curves slightly shifted in the positive direction of 1.36 and 1.88 V measured at a current level of 10^-6 A for the reliability and stability tests, respectively. Thus, this work opens a new window for solution-processed p-type CuI TFTs with excellent stability for developing next-generation complementary logic circuits.

Grain engineering for improved charge carrier transport in two-dimensional lead-free perovskite field-effect transistors

Controlling crystal growth and reducing the number of grain boundaries are crucial to maximize the charge carrier transport in organic-inorganic perovskite field-effect transistors (FETs). Herein, the crystallization and growth kinetics of a Sn(II)-based 2D perovskite, using 2-thiopheneethylammonium (TEA) as the organic cation spacer, were effectively regulated by the hot-casting method. With increasing crystalline grain size, the local charge carrier mobility is found to increase moderately from 13 cm² V^-1 s^-1 to 16 cm² V^-1 s^-1, as inferred from terahertz (THz) spectroscopy. In contrast, the FET operation parameters, including mobility, threshold voltage, hysteresis, and subthreshold swing, improve substantially with larger grain size. The optimized 2D (TEA)₂SnI₄ transistor exhibits hole mobility of up to 0.34 cm² V^-1 s^-1 at 295 K and a higher value of 1.8 cm² V^-1 s^-1 at 100 K. Our work provides an important insight into the grain engineering of 2D perovskites for high-performance FETs.

Thin SnxNiyOz Films as p-Type Transparent Conducting Oxide and Their Application in Light-Emitting Diodes

The development of good-quality p-type transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) is essential to realize the full potential of TCOs for transparent electronics. This study investigates various optical and electrical properties of Sn_xNi_yO_z under different deposition conditions to achieve high-performance p-type TCOs. We found that a film with 20% O₂/Ar deposited at room temperature exhibits the highest p-type conductivity with a carrier concentration of 2.04 × 10¹⁷ cm^-3, a resistivity of 14.01 Ωcm, and a Hall mobility of 7.7 cm² V^-1 S^-1. We also studied the elemental properties of a Sn_xNi_yO_z film and the band alignment at the Sn_xNi_yO_z/InP interface and found reasonably large values of the conduction band offset (CBO) and valence band offset (VBO). Finally, we demonstrate stable light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with n-InP nanowires (NWs) conformably coated with a p-Sn_xNi_yO_z structure. Several films and devices were fabricated and tested over a span of 6 months, and we observed similar characteristics. This confirms the stability and reliability of the films as well as the reproducibility of the LEDs. We also investigated the temperature-dependent behavior of these LEDs and observed an additional peak due to a zinc blende/wurtzite (ZB/WZ) transition at the InP substrate and NW interface at ∼98 K and below. This study provides promising results of Sn_xNi_yO_z as a potential p-type TCO candidate for applications in electronics and optoelectronics.

Review on Perovskite Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors and Their Applications

Perovskite materials are considered as the most alluring successor to the conventional semiconductor materials to fabricate solar cells, light emitting diodes and electronic displays. However, the use of the perovskite semiconductors as a channel material in field effect transistors (FET) are much lower than expected due to the poor performance of the devices. Despite low attention, the perovskite FETs are used in widespread applications on account of their unique opto-electrical properties. This review focuses on the previous works on perovskite FETs which are summarized into tables based on their structures and electrical properties. Further, this review focuses on the applications of perovskite FETs in photodetectors, phototransistors, light emitting FETs and memory devices. Moreover, this review highlights the challenges faced by the perovskite FETs to meet the current standards along with the future directions of these FETs. Overall, the review summarizes all the available information on existing perovskite FET works and their applications reported so far.

Research Progress of p-Type Oxide Thin-Film Transistors

The development of transparent electronics has advanced metal–oxide–semiconductor Thin-Film transistor (TFT) technology. In the field of flat-panel displays, as basic units, TFTs play an important role in achieving high speed, brightness, and screen contrast ratio to display information by controlling liquid crystal pixel dots. Oxide TFTs have gradually replaced silicon-based TFTs owing to their field-effect mobility, stability, and responsiveness. In the market, n-type oxide TFTs have been widely used, and their preparation methods have been gradually refined; however, p-Type oxide TFTs with the same properties are difficult to obtain. Fabricating p-Type oxide TFTs with the same performance as n-type oxide TFTs can ensure more energy-efficient complementary electronics and better transparent display applications. This paper summarizes the basic understanding of the structure and performance of the p-Type oxide TFTs, expounding the research progress and challenges of oxide transistors. The microstructures of the three types of p-Type oxides and significant efforts to improve the performance of oxide TFTs are highlighted. Finally, the latest progress and prospects of oxide TFTs based on p-Type oxide semiconductors and other p-Type semiconductor electronic devices are discussed.

Electrode Spacing as a Determinant of the Output Performance of Planar-Type Photodetectors Based on Methylammonium Lead Bromide Perovskite Single Crystals

Methylammonium lead bromide is a very perspective hybrid semiconductor material, suitable for high-sensitive, filter-free photodetection of electromagnetic radiation. Herein, we studied the effect of electrode spacing on the output performance and stability of planar-type photodetectors based on high-quality MAPbBr₃ single crystals. Such crystals, as large as 4.5×4.5×1.2 mm³ were synthesized via the inverse temperature crystallization method and were further used for the fabrication of planar Au/MAPbBr₃/Au photodetectors with variable electrode spacing (in the range between 125 and 25 μm). We report that the electrode spacing has a profound impact on photocurrent densities and key detector parameters (responsivity R, external quantum efficiency EQE, and specific detectivity D*). In the studied fivefold electrode spacing, the photocurrent density increased over 4 times, with decreasing active area of the devices. This effect is attributed to intrinsic photocurrent amplification. Based on the transient photocurrent measurements and calculated key parameters, we determined the device sample with the best output performance. The champion sample with an electrode spacing of 50 μm exhibited great detection ability, especially for a low light intensity of 200 nWcm^-2, for which we calculated the R of 19.55 A W^-1, EQE of 4253%, and D* of 3.42 × 10¹² Jones (cm Hz^1/2 W^-1). Moreover, the functional stability of this device showed a minimal reduction of photodetection ability after 2000 cycles, which makes it very promising for the next generation of optoelectronic devices.

Unexpected Anisotropy of the Electron and Hole Landé g-Factors in Perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 Polycrystalline Films

In this work, we studied, at low temperature, the coherent evolution of the localized electron and hole spins in a polycrystalline film of CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPI) by using a picosecond-photo-induced Faraday rotation technique in an oblique magnetic field. We observed an unexpected anisotropy for the electron and hole spin. We determined the electron and hole Landé factors when the magnetic field was applied in the plane of the film and perpendicular to the exciting light, denoted as transverse ⟂ factors, and when the magnetic field was applied perpendicular to the film and parallel to the exciting light, denoted as parallel ∥ factors. We obtained |ge,⟂|=2.600 ± 0.004, |ge,∥|=1.604 ± 0.033 for the electron and |gh,⟂|=0.406 ± 0.002, |gh,∥|=0.299 ± 0.007 for the hole. Possible origins of this anisotropy are discussed herein.

Hybrid Thin-Film Materials Combinations for Complementary Integration Circuit Implementation

Beyond conventional silicon, emerging semiconductor materials have been actively investigated for the development of integrated circuits (ICs). Considerable effort has been put into implementing complementary circuits using non-silicon emerging materials, such as organic semiconductors, carbon nanotubes, metal oxides, transition metal dichalcogenides, and perovskites. Whereas shortcomings of each candidate semiconductor limit the development of complementary ICs, an approach of hybrid materials is considered as a new solution to the complementary integration process. This article revisits recent advances in hybrid-material combination-based complementary circuits. This review summarizes the strong and weak points of the respective candidates, focusing on their complementary circuit integrations. We also discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by the prospect of hybrid integration.

Modulation of the Al/Cu2O Schottky Barrier Height for p-Type Oxide TFTs Using a Polyethylenimine Interlayer

We introduced an organic interlayer into the Schottky contact interface to control the contact property. After inserting an 11-nm-thick polyethylenimine (PEI) interlayer between the aluminum (Al) source/drain electrode and the cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) channel layer, the Cu₂O thin-film transistors (TFTs) exhibited improved electrical characteristics compared with Cu₂O TFTs without a PEI interlayer; the field-effect mobility improved from 0.02 to 0.12 cm²/V s, the subthreshold swing decreased from 14.82 to 7.34 V/dec, and the on/off current ratio increased from 2.43 × 10² to 1.47 × 10³, respectively. Careful investigation of the contact interface between the source/drain electrode and the channel layer established that the performance improvements were caused by the formation of electric dipoles in the PEI interlayer. These electric dipoles reduced the Schottky barrier height by neutralizing the charges at the metal/oxide semiconductor interface, and the holes passed the reduced Schottky barrier by means of tunneling or thermionic injection. In this way, p-type oxide TFTs, which generally need a noble metal having a high work function as an electrode, were demonstrated with a low-work-function metal. As a basic application for logic circuits, a complementary inverter based on n-type indium-gallium-zinc oxide and p-type Cu₂O TFTs was fabricated using only Al source/drain electrodes. This research achieved advances in low-cost circuit design by broadening the electrode metals available for the manufacture of p-type oxide semiconductor-based electronics.

High Performance of Solution-Processed Amorphous p-Channel Copper-Tin-Sulfur-Gallium Oxide Thin-Film Transistors by UV/O3 Photocuring

The development of p-type metal-oxide semiconductors (MOSs) is of increasing interest for applications in next-generation optoelectronic devices, display backplane, and low-power-consumption complementary MOS circuits. Here, we report the high performance of solution-processed, p-channel copper-tin-sulfide-gallium oxide (CTSGO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) using UV/O₃ exposure. Hall effect measurement confirmed the p-type conduction of CTSGO with Hall mobility of 6.02 ± 0.50 cm² V^-1 s^-1. The p-channel CTSGO TFT using UV/O₃ treatment exhibited the field-effect mobility (μ_FE) of 1.75 ± 0.15 cm² V^-1 s^-1 and an on/off current ratio (I_ON/I_OFF) of ∼10⁴ at a low operating voltage of -5 V. The significant enhancement in the device performance is due to the good p-type CTSGO material, smooth surface morphology, and fewer interfacial traps between the semiconductor and the Al₂O₃ gate insulator. Therefore, the p-channel CTSGO TFT can be applied for CMOS MOS TFT circuits for next-generation display.

Orientation-Dependent Conversion of VLS-Grown Lead Iodide Nanowires into Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskites

In this study, we demonstrate Sn-assisted vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of lead iodide (PbI₂) nanowires with van der Waals layered crystal structure and subsequent vapor-phase conversion into methylammonium lead iodide (CH₃NH₃PbI₃) perovskites. Our systematic microscopic investigations confirmed that the VLS-grown PbI₂ nanowires display two major growth orientations of [0001] and [1¯21¯0], corresponding to the stacking configurations of PbI₂ layers to the nanowire axis (transverse for [0001] vs. parallel for [1¯21¯0]). The resulting difference in the sidewall morphologies was correlated with the perovskite conversion, where [0001] nanowires showed strong localized conversion at top and bottom, as opposed to [1¯21¯0] nanowires with an evenly distributed degree of conversion. An ab initio energy calculation suggests that CH₃NH₃I preferentially diffuses and intercalates into (112¯0) sidewall facets parallel to the [1¯21¯0] nanowire axis. Our results underscore the ability to control the crystal structures of van der Waals type PbI₂ in nanowire via the VLS technique, which is critical for the subsequent conversion process into perovskite nanostructures and corresponding properties.