ABSTRACT
Nanoelectronic devices based on 2D materials are far from delivering their full theoretical performance potential due to the lack of scalable insulators. Amorphous oxides that work well in silicon technology have ill-defined interfaces with 2D materials and numerous defects, while 2D hexagonal boron nitride does not meet required dielectric specifications. The list of suitable alternative insulators is currently very limited. Thus, a radically different mindset with respect to suitable insulators for 2D technologies may be required. We review possible solution scenarios like the creation of clean interfaces, production of native oxides from 2D semiconductors and more intensive studies on crystalline insulators.
Subject(s)
Disulfides/chemistry , Electronics , Molybdenum/chemistry , Nanostructures/chemistry , Nanotechnology/instrumentation , Semiconductors , Transistors, Electronic , Graphite/chemistry , Hafnium/chemistry , Nanostructures/ultrastructure , Radio Frequency Identification Device , Silicon/chemistry , Silicon Dioxide/chemistry , Sulfur , Surface PropertiesABSTRACT
Graphene has changed from being the exclusive domain of condensed-matter physicists to being explored by those in the electron-device community. In particular, graphene-based transistors have developed rapidly and are now considered an option for post-silicon electronics. However, many details about the potential performance of graphene transistors in real applications remain unclear. Here I review the properties of graphene that are relevant to electron devices, discuss the trade-offs among these properties and examine their effects on the performance of graphene transistors in both logic and radiofrequency applications. I conclude that the excellent mobility of graphene may not, as is often assumed, be its most compelling feature from a device perspective. Rather, it may be the possibility of making devices with channels that are extremely thin that will allow graphene field-effect transistors to be scaled to shorter channel lengths and higher speeds without encountering the adverse short-channel effects that restrict the performance of existing devices. Outstanding challenges for graphene transistors include opening a sizeable and well-defined bandgap in graphene, making large-area graphene transistors that operate in the current-saturation regime and fabricating graphene nanoribbons with well-defined widths and clean edges.
