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Size Effect of Negative Capacitance State and Subthreshold Swing in Van der Waals Ferrielectric Field–Effect Transistors

Analytical calculations corroborated by the finite element modeling show that thin films of Van der Waals ferrielectrics covered by a 2D-semiconductor are promising candidates for the controllable reduction of the dielectric layer capacitance due to the negative capacitance (NC) effect emerging in the thin films. The NC state is conditioned by energy-degenerated poly-domain states of the ferrielectric polarization induced in the films under incomplete screening conditions in the presence of a dielectric layer. Calculations performed for the FET-type heterostructure “ferrielectric CuInP 2 S 6 film—2D-MoS 2 single-layer—SiO 2 dielectric layer” reveal the pronounced size effect of the multilayer capacitance. Derived analytical expressions for the electric polarization and multilayer capacitance allow to predict the thickness range of the dielectric layer and ferrielectric film for which the NC effect is the most pronounced in various Van der Waals ferrielectrics, and the corresponding subthreshold swing becomes much less than the Boltzmann's limit. Obtained results can be useful for the size and temperature control of the NC effect in the steep-slope ferrielectric FETs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Differential voltage amplification from ferroelectric negative capacitance

Here, we demonstrate that a ferroelectric can cause a differential voltage amplification without needing an external energy source. As the ferroelectric switches from one polarization state to the other, a transfer of energy takes place from the ferroelectric to the dielectric, determined by the ratio of their capacitances, which, in turn, leads to the differential amplification. This amplification is very different in nature from conventional inductor-capacitor based circuits where an oscillatory amplification can be observed. The demonstration of differential voltage amplification from completely passive capacitor elements only has fundamental ramifications for next generation electronics.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Capacitance of a Ge/SiGe heterostructure field-effect transistor

In this project we studied undoped Ge/SiGe heterostructure field-effect transistors, which had a very wide hole density range from 1x10 10 cm -2 to 3.5x10 11 cm -2 tunable by (negative) gate voltage. At low temperatures reasonably high carriers mobility of about 3.4x10 5 cm 2 /Vs was achieved.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Graphene-based tunable non-foster circuit for VHF applications

This paper presents a negative impedance converter (NIC) based on graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) for VHF applications. The NIC is designed following Linvill’s open circuit stable (OCS) topology. The DC modelling parameters of GFET are extracted from a device measured by Meric et al. [IEEE Electron Devices Meeting, 23.2.1 (2010)] Estimated parasitics are also taken into account. Simulation results from Keysight Advanced Design System (ADS) show good NIC performance up to 200 MHz and the value of negative capacitance is directly proportional to the capacitive load. In addition, it has been shown that by varying the supply voltage the value of negative capacitance can also be tuned. The NIC stability has been tested up to 2 GHz (10 times the maximum operation frequency) using Nyquist stability criterion to ensure there are no oscillation issues.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Electrochemical Behavior of Nanoporous Supercapacitors with Oligomeric Ionic Liquids

According to a recent study [Matsumoto, M. ; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 16072-16075], an oligomeric ionic liquid (OIL) may exhibit a wide electrochemical window and an exceptionally high capacitance in electric double layer (EDL) transistors. However, little is known on applicability of OILs in EDL capacitors with porous electrodes. To understand the capacitive performance of OILs, here we investigate the charging behavior, EDL structure, and capacitance for different types of OILs using the classical density functional theory. In contrast to their application to field-effect transistors, the capacitive performance of OILs in nanoporous electrodes is sensitive to the charging potential. We report that although adoption of oligomeric cations shows little advantage for the electrical charging of a positive electrode, they enhance the energy storage density for negative electrodes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Negative capacitance regime in ferroelectrics demystified from nonequilibrium molecular dynamics

Negative capacitance regime in ferroelectrics is associated with the negative slope in the dependence of the polarization on electric field and is prohibited by the laws of equilibrium thermodynamics. Very recently, it developed into a controversial but very productive area with a promise for next generation low-power transistors. At least, in part, the controversies arise from the lack of direct experimental insight into the mechanism for such phenomena. Although the experimental insight is, indeed, challenging at present, we probe the effect in ferroelectric PbTiO 3 bulk and a thin film with realistic first-principles-based nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations which model most closely experimental conditions. Here, the following insights emerge from the simulations: (i) the ferroelectric never enters the thermodynamically forbidden region even under extreme rates of electric-field application; (ii) the negative slope naturally arises when the compensating charge is either scarce or slowed down by the external circuitry; (iii) the negative slope is well controlled by the interplay between the applied step pulse field and the amount of the screening charge. The latter can be used to design the negative capacitance regime.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Organic thin-film transistors with a bottom bilayer gate dielectric having a low operating voltage and high operational stability

This study reports on p-channel bottom-gate organic thin-film transistors (OTFT) that achieve low-voltage operation with a thin bilayer gate dielectric of CYTOP/HfO 2 that also leads to high operational stability. A bottom-gate geometry allows the thickness of the gate dielectric to be reduced to 17 nm, thereby increasing the gate dielectric capacitance density to a value of up to 258 nF/cm 2 . All OTFTs yielded threshold voltages (V TH ) lower than -1 V, thereby providing minimum operating voltage (gate to source voltage ~ V TH ) of -1 V with field-effect mobility values in the range from 0.3 to 0.8 cm 2 /Vs and subthreshold swing values below 100 mV/dec. Operational stability during DC bias stress was found similar to that measured in devices with a top-gate geometry, with about 1% of drain current change after 6 h. Here, using a double-stretched exponential function, the operational stability characteristics were modeled. It was found that by increasing the metal oxide layer thickness, the threshold voltage can shift toward positive values under DC stress tests. For CYTOP layer thicknesses above 15 nm, a thicker CYTOP layer was found to shift the threshold voltage in the opposite direction toward negative values. Furthermore, these p-channel bottom-gate organic transistor with a bilayer gate dielectric of CYTOP/HfO 2 combine high mobility, high operational stability, and lower voltage operation of -1 V compared to top-gate OTFTs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Nanoscale Ferroelectric Control of Novel Electronic States in Layered Two-Dimensional Materials (Final Report)

In this DOE Early Career project “Nanoscale Ferroelectric Control of Novel Electronic States in Layered Two-Dimensional Materials,” the PI’s group has combined ferroelectric field effect with nanoscale domain imaging and writing to design the electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials, including graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides MoS2 and ReS2. The van der Waals materials have been prepared into field effect transistor (FET) devices with ferroelectric gates. Through domain patterning in a ferroelectric polymer PVDF-TrEF top-gate via conductive atomic force microscopy, the team has created programmable Schottky junctions in monolayer MoS 2 , where both barrier height and I-V rectifying polarity can be reconfigured. The transport anisotropy of monolayer to few-layer ReS 2 has been mapped out by defining the entire channel into an insulating state and creating nanoscale conducting paths along different directions through domain writing in the ferroelectric top-gate. The result shows that the conductivity along and perpendicular to the Re-chain can differ by >5.5x10 4 . Theoretical modeling points to the band origin of the transport anomaly and reveals the emergence of a flat band in few-layer ReS 2 . The interfacial epitaxial relation between ReS 2 and PVDF-TrFE further promotes the formation of close-packed, highly ordered PVDF-TrFE nanowires with width of 35 nm and 10 nm. Nonvolatile modulation of quantum Hall effect has been achieved in graphene FETs with a ferroelectric oxide Ba 0.4 Sr 0.6 TiO 3 back-gate. Scattering from the remote surface optical phonon in Ba 0.4 Sr 0.6 TiO 3 limits the room temperature mobility of graphene to be about 3x10 4 cm 2 /Vs. Steep-slope switching has been achieved in MoS 2 FETs back-gated by polycrystalline Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 , which signals a static-state negative capacitance mode without involving an additional dielectric layer. Piezoresponse force microscopy studies show that the sub-threshold swing can be well correlated with the domain wall density in Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 . The team also observes an unconventional filtering effect of the second harmonic generation response at the MoS 2 /Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 heterointerface, which can be accounted for by the alignment between one of the polar axes of MoS 2 and the chiral dipole rotation at the surface of domain wall in Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 . The research supported by this DOE grant has significantly advanced the fundamental understanding and functional design of ferroelectric/2D van der Waals heterostructures for their implementation towards energy applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electro-physical characterization of individual and arrays of ZnO nanowires

Capacitance measurements were made on an array of parallel ZnO nanowires embedded in a polymer matrix and provided with two electrodes perpendicular to the nanowires. The capacitance monotonically increased, and saturated at large negative (depleting) and large positive (accumulating) voltages. A qualitative explanation for this behavior is presented, taking into account specific features of quasi-one-dimensional screening. The increasing or decreasing character of the capacitance-voltage characteristics were determined by the conductivity type of the nanowires, which in our case was n-type. A dispersion of the experimental capacitance was observed over the entire frequency range of 1 kHz to 5 MHz. This phenomenon is explained by the slow discharge of the nanowires through the thin dielectric layer that separates them from the top electrode. Separate measurements on individual identical nanowires in a field effect transistor configuration yielded an electron concentration and mobility of approximately 10{sup 17 }cm{sup −3} and 150 cm{sup 2}/Vs, respectively, at room temperature.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

The Concept of Negative Capacitance in Ionically Conductive Van der Waals Ferroelectrics

Negative capacitance (NC) provides a path to overcome the Boltzmann limit that dictates operating voltages in transistors and, therefore, may open up a path to the challenging proposition of lowering energy consumption and waste heat in nanoelectronic integrated circuits. Typically, NC effects in ferroelectric materials are based on either stabilizing a zero-polarization state or slowing down ferroelectric switching in order to access NC regimes of the free-energy distribution. Here, a fundamentally different mechanism for NC, based on CuInP 2 S 6 , a van der Waals layered ferrielectric, is demonstrated. Using density functional theory and piezo-response force microscopy, it is shown that an unusual combination of high Cu-ion mobility and its crucial role in determining polarization magnitude and orientation (P) leads to a negative slope of the polarization versus the electric field E, dP/dE < 0, which is a requirement for NC. This mechanism for NC is likely to occur in a wide class of materials, offering new possibilities for NC-based devices. Finally, the nanoscale demonstration of this mechanism can be extended to the device-level by increasing the regions of homogeneous polarization and polarization switching, for example, through strain engineering and carefully selected electric field pulses.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗