High-Mobility Tellurium Thin-Film Transistor: Oxygen Scavenger Effect Induced by a Metal-Capping Layer

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid State Physics
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• The demand for advanced semiconductors beyond silicon is growing with electronic device development.
• Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology requires both n-type and p-type semiconductors.
• High-mobility p-type semiconductors are crucial but lag behind n-type counterparts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the electrical characteristics of tellurium (Te) thin-film transistors (TFTs).
• To address the limitations in developing high-performance p-type semiconductors.
• To explore novel methods for improving Te-based electronic devices.

Main Methods:

• Investigated the effect of a metal-capping layer on Te thin-film transistors (TFTs).
• Utilized an indium (In) metal-capping layer on Te thin films.
• Analyzed the impact of the capping layer on electrical properties and film quality.

Main Results:

• Achieved a significant increase in field-effect mobility for Te TFTs from 2.68 to 33.54 cm²/Vs.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of the indium metal-capping layer in enhancing performance.
• Identified the oxygen scavenger effect as the primary mechanism for improvement.

Conclusions:

• The indium metal-capping layer effectively minimizes oxidation and removes oxygen from Te films, yielding high-quality materials.
• This innovative approach significantly improves Te TFT performance, offering a viable solution for high-mobility p-type semiconductors.
• The findings pave the way for advanced electronic devices requiring superior p-type semiconductor characteristics.