Bilayer tungsten diselenide transistors with ON-state current densities over 1.5 milliamperes per micrometer

2D semiconductors could have notable advantages over conventional bulk semiconductors, such as silicon. Most notably, their greater resistance to short-channel effects could make them particularly promising for the development of highly performing transistors, which are crucial components of all electronic devices.

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Researchers at Hunan University have recently developed highly performing transistors based on bilayer tungsten diselenide, an inorganic 2D compound with semiconducting properties. These transistors, introduced in a paper published in Nature Electronics, was found to perform as well as existing silicon transistors with similar channel lengths and driving voltages.

When evaluating transistors based on 2D semiconductors, engineers can consider different parameters, including their carrier mobility and contact resistance. These two values, however, are mere estimations that can be miscalculated or misinterpreted, resulting in inconsistent estimations of a device's performance.

The ON-state current density, the amount of electric current flowing through a specific area while a device is operating, has been found to be a far more reliable evaluation parameter. In their study, the researchers thus specifically focused on developing a transistor that had an ON-state current density comparable to that of similar silicon-based devices.

"ON-state current density (I_on) or saturation current density is a more direct and reliable measure of assessing transistors with 2D semiconductors," Xidong Duan, one of the researchers who carried out the study, told TechXplore. "It remains an open question whether 2D transistors may match, compete or surpass the state-of-art silicon transistors. To answer such question is essential for inspiring more serious interest from the industry community."

Most 2D transistors developed to date exhibit an I_on value that is significantly inferior to those of silicon devices with comparable channel lengths (L_ch) and drain-source bias (V_ds). This ultimately limits their potential for real-world, practical applications.

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