Saurabh Lodha

Few-Layer MoS2 p-Type Devices Enabled by Selective Doping Using Low Energy Phosphorus Implantation

P-type doping of MoS2 has proved to be a significant bottleneck in the realization of fundamental devices such as p-n junction diodes and p-type transistors due to its intrinsic n-type behavior. We report a CMOS compatible, controllable and area selective phosphorus plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) process for p-type doping of MoS2. Physical characterization using SIMS, AFM, XRD and Raman techniques was used to identify process conditions with reduced lattice defects as well as low surface damage and etching, 4X lower than previous plasma based doping reports for MoS2. A wide range of nondegenerate to degenerate p-type doping is demonstrated in MoS2 field effect transistors exhibiting dominant hole transport. Nearly ideal and air stable, lateral homogeneous p-n junction diodes with a gate-tunable rectification ratio as high as 2 × 10(4) are demonstrated using area selective doping. Comparison of XPS data from unimplanted and implanted MoS2 layers shows a shift of 0.67 eV toward lower binding energies for Mo and S peaks indicating p-type doping. First-principles calculations using density functional theory techniques confirm p-type doping due to charge transfer originating from substitutional as well as physisorbed phosphorus in top few layers of MoS2. Pre-existing sulfur vacancies are shown to enhance the doping level significantly.

Schottky barrier heights for Au and Pd contacts to MoS2

The search of a p-type metal contact on MoS2 has remained inconclusive, with high work function metals such as Au, Ni, and Pt showing n-type behavior and mixed reports of n as well as p-type behavior for Pd. In this work, we report quantitative Schottky barrier heights for Au and Pd contacts to MoS2 obtained by analysing low temperature transistor characteristics and contact resistance data obtained using the transfer length method. Both Au and Pd exhibit n-type behavior on multilayer as well as monolayer MoS2 transistors with Schottky barrier heights of 0.126 eV and 0.4 eV, and contact resistances of 42 Ω.mm and 18 × 104 Ω.mm respectively. Scanning photocurrent spectroscopy data is in agreement with the resulting energy band alignment in Au-MoS2-Pd devices further reinforcing the observation that the Fermi-level is pinned in the upper half of MoS2 bandgap.

Fermi-level unpinning and low resistivity in contacts to n-type Ge with a thin ZnO interfacial layer

We report low resistance Ohmic contacts on n-Ge using a thin ZnO interfacial layer (IL) capped with Ti. A 350°C post metallization anneal is used to create oxygen vacancies that dope ZnO heavily n-type (n+). Rectifying Ti/n-Ge contacts become Ohmic with 1000× higher reverse current density after insertion of n+-ZnO IL. Specific resistivity of ∼1.4×10−7 Ω cm2 is demonstrated on epitaxial n+-Ge (2.5×1019 cm−3) layers. Low resistance with ZnO IL can be attributed to (a) low barrier height from Fermi-level unpinning, (b) good conduction band alignment between ZnO and Ge, and (c) thin tunneling barrier due to the n+ doping.

Punchthrough-Diode-Based Bipolar RRAM Selector by Si Epitaxy

We propose an epitaxial punchthrough diode for bipolar resistance RAM (RRAM) selector application. Epitaxial Si:C process is used to deposit n+/p/n+ layers which are fabricated into 300-nm-diameter vertical punchthrough diodes. High on-current density of >; 1 MA/cm2 and high on/off current ratio of >; 250 and >; 4700 (at opposite polarities) are observed. A switching speed of <; 10 ns is measured. On-voltage designability is demonstrated by tuning the p-region doping and length. The comparison of experimental IV with Sentaurus TCAD-simulated IV characteristics confirms the punchthrough mechanism. Comparison with other bipolar RRAM selector technologies highlights the overall advantages of punchthrough-based selector.

Contact resistivity reduction through interfacial layer doping in metal-interfacial layer-semiconductor contacts

Metal-induced-gap-states model for Fermi-level pinning in metal-semiconductor contacts has been extended to metal-interfacial layer (IL)-semiconductor (MIS) contacts using a physics-based approach. Contact resistivity simulations evaluating various ILs on n-Ge indicate the possibility of forming low resistance contacts using TiO2, ZnO, and Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) layers. Doping of the IL is proposed as an additional knob for lowering MIS contact resistance. This is demonstrated through simulations and experimentally verified with circular-transfer length method and diode measurements on Ti/n+-ZnO/n-Ge and Ti/ITO/n-Ge MIS contacts.

Device structure for electronic transport through individual molecules using nanoelectrodes

We present a simple and reliable method for making electrical contacts to small organic molecules with thiol endgroups. Nanometer-scale gaps between metallic electrodes have been fabricated by passing a large current through a lithographically-patterned Au-line with appropriate thickness. Under appropriate conditions, the passage of current breaks the Au-line, creating two opposite facing electrodes separated by a gap comparable to the length of small organic molecules. Current-voltage characteristics have been measured both before and after deposition of short organic molecules. The resistance of single 1,4-benzenedithiol and 1,4-bezenedimethanedithiol molecules were found to be 9MΩ and 26MΩ, respectively. The experimental results indicate strong electronic coupling to the contacts and are discussed using a relatively simple model of mesoscopic transport. The use of electrodes formed on an insulating surface by lithography and electromigration provides a stable structure suitable for integrated circuit a...

Solution-processed poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) thin films as transparent conductors: effect of p-toluenesulfonic acid in dimethyl sulfoxide.

Conductivity enhancement of thin transparent films based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS) by a solution-processed route involving mixture of an organic acid and organic solvent is reported. The combined effect of p-toluenesulfonic acid and dimethyl sulfoxide on spin-coated films of PEDOT-PSS on glass substrates, prepared from its commercially available aqueous dispersion, was found to increase the conductivity of the PEDOT-PSS film to ∼3500 S·cm(-1) with a high transparency of at least 94%. Apart from conductivity and transparency measurements, the films were characterized by Raman, infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy along with atomic force microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. Combined results showed that the conductivity enhancement was due to doping, rearrangement of PEDOT particles owing to phase separation, and removal of PSS matrix throughout the depth of the film. The temperature dependence of the resistance for the treated films was found to be in accordance with one-dimensional variable range hopping, showing that treatment is effective in reducing energy barrier for interchain and interdomain charge hopping. Moreover, the treatment was found to be compatible with flexible poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates as well. Apart from being potential candidates to replace inorganic transparent conducting oxide materials, the films exhibited stand-alone catalytic activity toward I(-)/I3(-) redox couple as well and successfully replaced platinum and fluorinated tin oxide as counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Interfacial n-Doping Using an Ultrathin TiO2 Layer for Contact Resistance Reduction in MoS2

We demonstrate a low and constant effective Schottky barrier height (ΦB ∼ 40 meV) irrespective of the metal work function by introducing an ultrathin TiO2 ALD interfacial layer between various metals (Ti, Ni, Au, and Pd) and MoS2. Transmission line method devices with and without the contact TiO2 interfacial layer on the same MoS2 flake demonstrate reduced (24×) contact resistance (RC) in the presence of TiO2. The insertion of TiO2 at the source-drain contact interface results in significant improvement in the on-current and field effect mobility (up to 10×). The reduction in RC and ΦB has been explained through interfacial doping of MoS2 and validated by first-principles calculations, which indicate metallic behavior of the TiO2-MoS2 interface. Consistent with DFT results of interfacial doping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data also exhibit a 0.5 eV shift toward higher binding energies for Mo 3d and S 2p peaks in the presence of TiO2, indicating Fermi level movement toward the conduction band (n-type doping). Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) further corroborates the interfacial doping model, as MoS2 flakes capped with ultrathin TiO2 exhibit a reduction of 0.3 eV in the effective work function. Finally, a systematic comparison of the impact of selective doping with the TiO2 layer under the source-drain metal relative to that on top of the MoS2 channel shows a larger benefit for transistor performance from the reduction in source-drain contact resistance.

Germanium oxynitride gate interlayer dielectric formed on Ge(100) using decoupled plasma nitridation

Germanium Oxynitride (GeON) gate interlayer (IL) dielectric formed using decoupled plasma nitridation (DPN) technique is compared with GeO2 and thermally nitrided GeON ILs for Ge gate stack applications using n-channel capacitors and transistors. Lower nitrogen concentration and roughness at the GeON/Ge interface lead to lower midgap interface trap density (Dit) and 1.5× higher electron mobility for the DPN versus thermally nitrided GeON IL. DPN GeON IL also exhibits enhanced thermal stability till 575 °C at the expense of a small degradation in Dit versus GeO2 IL, making it a more viable gate IL dielectric on Ge channels.

Enhanced current densities in Au∕molecule∕GaAs devices

Metal–molecule–semiconductor heterostructures have been studied in a Au∕molecule∕p-type GaAs configuration. Stable monolayers of alkane and aromatic thiols were self-assembled from solution on heavily doped p-type (p+) GaAs surfaces. A low-energy, indirect path technique was used to evaporate Au on the molecular layer to minimize damage or penetration of the layer. Electrical characteristics of the devices were evaluated by current–voltage (I–V) measurements. In comparison to Au∕p+-GaAs control samples, which show rectifying behavior expected for Schottky barriers, the Au∕molecule∕p+-GaAs structures exhibit higher conductances and less rectification. The results indicate strong molecular coupling to the contacts with a significant density of molecular states near the Fermi level. A simple electrostatic model, which considers the dielectric constant and dipole charge of the molecular layer as well as the GaAs depletion region, has been developed to explain the observed characteristics. Variable temperature...