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Related Concept Videos

Boundary Conditions for Current Density01:25

Boundary Conditions for Current Density

Current density becomes discontinuous across an interface of materials with different electrical conductivities. The normal component of the current density is continuous across the boundary.
Semiconductors01:22

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There is variation in the electrical conductivity of materials - metals, semiconductors, and insulators that are showcased with the help of the energy band diagrams.
Metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), or lead (Pb) have low resistivity and feature conduction bands that are either not fully occupied or overlap with the valence band, making a bandgap non-existent. This allows electrons in the highest energy levels of the valence band to easily transition to the conduction band upon gaining...
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A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
Carrier Transport01:21

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The generation of electrical current in semiconductors is fundamentally driven by two mechanisms: drift and diffusion. These processes are essential for the functionality and performance of semiconductor-based devices.
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Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The semiconductor's...
Fermi Level Dynamics01:12

Fermi Level Dynamics

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Scalable Quantum Integrated Circuits on Superconducting Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Platform
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Quantum tunnelling and leakage current across two-dimensional materials.

Yue Yuan1,2, Francesco Maria Puglisi3, Andrea Padovani4

  • 1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.

Nature Materials
|July 1, 2026
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Summary

Leakage current in ultrascaled electronics is influenced by electrode roughness and material properties. For two-dimensional materials, thickness is key for monolayers, while bandgap and defects matter for multilayers.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Leakage current critically impacts electronic device operation and reliability.
  • Two-dimensional (2D) materials are increasingly used in ultrascaled electronics, but leakage current behavior is not fully understood.
  • Understanding leakage current is crucial for advancing nano-electronic device design.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze and compare leakage current in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, and SiO2/n++Si.
  • To investigate the influence of material properties and physical dimensions on leakage current.
  • To establish predictive models for leakage current in 2D material-based devices.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental analysis of 2D materials (hBN, MoS2, WS2) and SiO2/n++Si samples at nanoscale and device levels.
  • Computational modeling using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) and density functional theory (DFT).
  • Systematic variation of material thickness and electrode surface roughness.

Main Results:

  • Bottom electrode surface roughness significantly alters leakage current under electric fields.
  • For multilayer 2D materials, bandgap and atomic defect density are primary leakage determinants.
  • For monolayer 2D materials, electrode-to-electrode distance (thickness) is the dominant factor, explaining higher leakage in thinner hBN compared to MoS2/WS2.
  • An equivalence in leakage current between hBN and SiO2 films was established.

Conclusions:

  • Leakage current in 2D materials is governed by distinct factors depending on whether they are monolayers or multilayers.
  • Thickness is a critical parameter for leakage in monolayer 2D materials, overriding bandgap differences.
  • The established hBN-SiO2 equivalence allows for performance and reliability predictions in 2D nano-electronic devices like transistors and memristors.