A molybdenum disulfide/carbon nanotube heterogeneous complementary inverter

Low-Power Complementary Inverter Based on Graphene/Carbon-Nanotube and Graphene/MoS2 Barristors

The recent report of a p-type graphene(Gr)/carbon-nanotube(CNT) barristor facilitates the application of graphene barristors in the fabrication of complementary logic devices. Here, a complementary inverter is presented that combines a p-type Gr/CNT barristor with a n-type Gr/MoS2 barristor, and its characteristics are reported. A sub-nW (~0.2 nW) low-power inverter is demonstrated with a moderate gain of 2.5 at an equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of ~15 nm. Compared to inverters based on field-effect transistors, the sub-nW power consumption was achieved at a much larger EOT, which was attributed to the excellent switching characteristics of Gr barristors.

Graphene Via Contact Architecture for Vertical Integration of vdW Heterostructure Devices

Two-dimensional (2D) devices and their van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures attract considerable attention owing to their potential for next-generation logic and memory applications. In addition, 2D devices are projected to have high integration capabilities, while maintaining nanoscale thickness. However, the fabrication of 2D devices and their circuits is challenging because of the high precision required to etch and pattern ultrathin 2D materials for integration. Here, the fabrication of a graphene via contact architecture to electrically connect graphene electrodes (or leads) embedded in vdW heterostructures is demonstrated. Graphene via contacts comprising of edge and fluorinated graphene (FG) electrodes are fabricated by successive fluorination and plasma etching processes. A one-step fabrication process that utilizes the graphene contacts is developed for a vertically integrated complementary inverter based on n- and p-type 2D field-effect transistors (FETs). This study provides a promising method to fabricate vertically integrated 2D devices, which are essential in 2D material-based devices and circuits.

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.

An All-Solution-Based Hybrid CMOS-Like Quantum Dot/Carbon Nanotube Inverter

The development of low-cost, flexible electronic devices is subordinated to the advancement in solution-based and low-temperature-processable semiconducting materials, such as colloidal quantum dots (QDs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Here, excellent compatibility of QDs and SWCNTs as a complementary pair of semiconducting materials for fabrication of high-performance complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-like inverters is demonstrated. The n-type field effect transistors (FETs) based on I^- capped PbS QDs (V_th = 0.2 V, on/off = 10⁵ , S_S-th = 114 mV dec^-1 , µ_e = 0.22 cm² V^-1 s^-1 ) and the p-type FETs with tailored parameters based on low-density random network of SWCNTs (V_th = -0.2 V, on/off > 10⁵ , S_S-th = 63 mV dec^-1 , µ_h = 0.04 cm² V^-1 s^-1 ) are integrated on the same substrate in order to obtain high-performance hybrid inverters. The inverters operate in the sub-1 V range (0.9 V) and have high gain (76 V/V), large maximum-equal-criteria noise margins (80%), and peak power consumption of 3 nW, in combination with low hysteresis (10 mV).

Coupling Two-Dimensional MoTe2 and InGaZnO Thin-Film Materials for Hybrid PN Junction and CMOS Inverters

We report the fabrication of hybrid PN junction diode and complementary (CMOS) inverters, where 2D p-type MoTe₂ and n-type thin film InGaZnO (IGZO) are coupled for each device process. IGZO thin film was initially patterned by conventional photolithography either for n-type material in a PN diode or for n-channel of top-gate field-effect transistors (FET) in CMOS inverter. The hybrid PN junction diode shows a good ideality factor of 1.57 and quite a high ON/OFF rectification ratio of ∼3 × 10⁴. Under photons, our hybrid PN diode appeared somewhat stable only responding to high-energy photons of blue and ultraviolet. Our 2D nanosheet-oxide film hybrid CMOS inverter exhibits voltage gains as high as ∼40 at 5 V, low power consumption less than around a few nW at 1 V, and ∼200 μs switching dynamics.

One-step assembly of 2H-1T MoS2:Cu/reduced graphene oxide nanosheets for highly efficient hydrogen evolution

The transition metal dichagenides and their metallic 1T structure are attracting contemporary attentions for applications in high-performance devices because their peculiar optical and electrical properties. The single and few layers 1T structure is generally obtained by mechanical or chemical exfoliation. This work presents facile one-step synthesis of 2H-1T MoS₂:Cu/reduced graphene oxide nanosheets. The experiment results indicated that the MoS₂ and MoS₂:Cu prepared by simple chemical solution reaction possessed 2H-1T structures. The reduced graphene oxide (rGO) incorporation further induced the phase transition from 2H-MoS₂ to 1T-MoS₂ and morphology transition from granular/nanosheet to more nanosheet. The 2H-1T structure and 2H → 1T phase transition, together with the Cu doping and interface effect between the MoS₂ and rGO, remarkably enhanced the conduction and photoconduction of the nanostructures. Thus, Cu doping and rGO incorporation obviously enhanced the catalytic activity and its stability, making the MoS₂:Cu/rGO nanosheet a most active and stable catalyst for hydrogen evolution. This work clearly indicates that the 1T-MoS₂ nanosheets with high catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution can be easily obtained by the facile low temperature chemical method and induction of rGO.

MoS2 /Rubrene van der Waals Heterostructure: Toward Ambipolar Field-Effect Transistors and Inverter Circuits

2D transition metal dichalcogenides are promising channel materials for the next-generation electronic device. Here, vertically 2D heterostructures, so called van der Waals solids, are constructed using inorganic molybdenum sulfide (MoS₂ ) few layers and organic crystal - 5,6,11,12-tetraphenylnaphthacene (rubrene). In this work, ambipolar field-effect transistors are successfully achieved based on MoS₂ and rubrene crystals with the well balanced electron and hole mobilities of 1.27 and 0.36 cm² V^-1 s^-1 , respectively. The ambipolar behavior is explained based on the band alignment of MoS₂ and rubrene. Furthermore, being a building block, the MoS₂ /rubrene ambipolar transistors are used to fabricate CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) inverters that show good performance with a gain of 2.3 at a switching threshold voltage of -26 V. This work paves a way to the novel organic/inorganic ultrathin heterostructure based flexible electronics and optoelectronic devices.

Highly Flexible Hybrid CMOS Inverter Based on Si Nanomembrane and Molybdenum Disulfide

2D semiconductor materials are being considered for next generation electronic device application such as thin-film transistors and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuit due to their unique structural and superior electronics properties. Various approaches have already been taken to fabricate 2D complementary logics circuits. However, those CMOS devices mostly demonstrated based on exfoliated 2D materials show the performance of a single device. In this work, the design and fabrication of a complementary inverter is experimentally reported, based on a chemical vapor deposition MoS₂ n-type transistor and a Si nanomembrane p-type transistor on the same substrate. The advantages offered by such CMOS configuration allow to fabricate large area wafer scale integration of high performance Si technology with transition-metal dichalcogenide materials. The fabricated hetero-CMOS inverters which are composed of two isolated transistors exhibit a novel high performance air-stable voltage transfer characteristic with different supply voltages, with a maximum voltage gain of ≈16, and sub-nano watt power consumption. Moreover, the logic gates have been integrated on a plastic substrate and displayed reliable electrical properties paving a realistic path for the fabrication of flexible/transparent CMOS circuits in 2D electronics.

Synthesis of Vertically Standing MoS2 Triangles on SiC

Layered material MoS₂ has been attracting much attention due to its excellent electronical properties and catalytic property. Here we report the synthesis of vertically standing MoS₂ triangles on silicon carbon(SiC), through a rapid sulfidation process. Such edge-terminated films are metastable structures of MoS₂, which may find applications in FinFETs and catalytic reactions. We have confirmed the catalytic property in a hydrogen evolution reaction(HER). The Tafel slope is about 54mV/decade.

Highly Flexible and High-Performance Complementary Inverters of Large-Area Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Monolayers

Complementary inverters constructed from large-area monolayers of WSe2 and MoS2 achieve excellent logic swings and yield an extremely high gain, large total noise margin, low power consumption, and good switching speed. Moreover, the WSe2 complementary-like inverters built on plastic substrates exhibit high mechanical stability. The results provide a path toward large-area flexible electronics.

Low Power Consumption Complementary Inverters with n-MoS2 and p-WSe2 Dichalcogenide Nanosheets on Glass for Logic and Light-Emitting Diode Circuits

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials with discrete bandgap become important because of their interesting physical properties and potentials toward future nanoscale electronics. Many 2D-based field effect transistors (FETs) have thus been reported. Several attempts to fabricate 2D complementary (CMOS) logic inverters have been made too. However, those CMOS devices seldom showed the most important advantage of typical CMOS: low power consumption. Here, we adopted p-WSe2 and n-MoS2 nanosheets separately for the channels of bottom-gate-patterned FETs, to fabricate 2D dichalcogenide-based hetero-CMOS inverters on the same glass substrate. Our hetero-CMOS inverters with electrically isolated FETs demonstrate novel and superior device performances of a maximum voltage gain as ∼27, sub-nanowatt power consumption, almost ideal noise margin approaching 0.5VDD (supply voltage, VDD=5 V) with a transition voltage of 2.3 V, and ∼800 μs for switching delay. Moreover, our glass-substrate CMOS device nicely performed digital logic (NOT, OR, and AND) and push-pull circuits for organic light-emitting diode switching, directly displaying the prospective of practical applications.

High-gain subnanowatt power consumption hybrid complementary logic inverter with WSe2 nanosheet and ZnO nanowire transistors on glass

A 1D-2D hybrid complementary logic inverter comprising of ZnO nanowire and WSe2 nanosheet field-effect transistors (FETs) is fabricated on glass, which shows excellent static and dynamic electrical performances with a voltage gain of ≈60, sub-nanowatt power consumption, and at least 1 kHz inverting speed.

Molybdenum disulfide nanoflake-zinc oxide nanowire hybrid photoinverter

We demonstrate a hybrid inverter-type nanodevice composed of a MoS2 nanoflake field-effect transistor (FET) and ZnO nanowire Schottky diode on one substrate, aiming at a one-dimensional (1D)-two-dimensional (2D) hybrid integrated electronic circuit with multifunctional capacities of low power consumption, high gain, and photodetection. In the present work, we used a nanotransfer printing method using polydimethylsiloxane for the fabrication of patterned bottom-gate MoS2 nanoflake FETs, so that they could be placed near the ZnO nanowire Schottky diodes that were initially fabricated. The ZnO nanowire Schottky diode and MoS2 FET worked respectively as load and driver for a logic inverter, which exhibits a high voltage gain of ∼50 at a supply voltage of 5 V and also shows a low power consumption of less than 50 nW. Moreover, our inverter effectively operates as a photoinverter, detecting visible photons, since MoS2 FETs appear very photosensitive, while the serially connected ZnO nanowire Schottky diode was blind to visible light. Our 1D-2D hybrid nanoinverter would be quite promising for both logic and photosensing applications due to its performance and simple device configuration as well.

Few-layer MoS2: a promising layered semiconductor

Due to the recent expanding interest in two-dimensional layered materials, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been receiving much research attention. Having an ultrathin layered structure and an appreciable direct band gap of 1.9 eV in the monolayer regime, few-layer MoS2 has good potential applications in nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, and flexible devices. In addition, the capability of controlling spin and valley degrees of freedom makes it a promising material for spintronic and valleytronic devices. In this review, we attempt to provide an overview of the research relevant to the structural and physical properties, fabrication methods, and electronic devices of few-layer MoS2. Recent developments and advances in studying the material are highlighted.