The compelling demand for higher performance and lower power consumption in electronic systems is the main driving force of the electronics industry's quest for devices and/or architectures based on new materials. Here, we provide a review of electronic devices based on two-dimensional materials, outlining their potential as a technological option beyond scaled complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor switches. We focus on the performance limits and advantages of these materials and associated technologies, when exploited for both digital and analog applications, focusing on the main figures of merit needed to meet industry requirements. We also discuss the use of two-dimensional materials as an enabling factor for flexible electronics and provide our perspectives on future developments.

Electronics based on two-dimensional materials

Scientists have realized a graphene electro-optic modulator operating with a 30 GHz bandwidth and with a state-of-the-art modulation efficiency of 1.5 dB V−1, paving the way for fast digital communications.

Graphene electro-optic modulator with 30 GHz bandwidth

Transparent conducting films (TCFs) are a critical component in many personal electronic devices. Transparent and conductive doped metal oxides are widely used in industry due to their excellent optoelectronic properties as well as the mature understanding of their production and handling. However, they are not compatible with future flexible electronics developments where large-scale production will likely involve roll-to-roll manufacturing. Recent studies have shown that carbon nanotubes provide unique chemical, physical, and optoelectronic properties, making them an important alternative to doped metal oxides. This Review provides a comprehensive analysis of carbon nanotube transparent conductive films covering detailed fabrication methods including patterning of the films, chemical doping effects, and hybridization with other materials. There is a focus on optoelectronic properties of the films and potential in applications such as photovoltaics, touch panels, liquid crystal displays, and organic light-emitting diodes in conjunction with a critical analysis of both the merits and shortcomings of carbon nanotube transparent conductive films.

Recent Development of Carbon Nanotube Transparent Conductive Films

The role of contact resistance in graphene field-effect devices

The performance of graphene-based transistors is often limited by the large electrical resistance across the metal–graphene contact. We report an approach to achieve ultralow resistance metal contacts to graphene transistors. Through a process of metal-catalyzed etching in hydrogen, multiple nanosized pits with zigzag edges are created in the graphene portions under source/drain metal contacts while the graphene channel remains intact. The porous graphene source/drain portions with pure zigzag-termination form strong chemical bonds with the deposited nickel metallization without the need for further annealing. This facile contact treatment prior to electrode metallization results in contact resistance as low as 100 Ω·μm in single-layer graphene field-effect transistors, and 11 Ω·μm in bilayer graphene transistors. Besides 96% reduction in contact resistance, the contact-treated graphene transistors exhibit 1.5-fold improvement in mobility. More importantly, the metal-catalyzed etching contact treatment is...

Low-contact-resistance graphene devices with nickel-etched-graphene contacts.

We report reduced contact resistance of single-layer graphene devices by using ultraviolet ozone (UVO) treatment to modify the metal/graphene contact interface. The devices were fabricated from mechanically transferred, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown, single layer graphene. UVO treatment of graphene in the contact regions as defined by photolithography and prior to metal deposition was found to reduce interface contamination originating from incomplete removal of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and photoresist. Our control experiment shows that exposure times up to 10 minutes did not introduce significant disorder in the graphene as characterized by Raman spectroscopy. By using the described approach, contact resistance of less than 200 {\Omega} {\mu}m was achieved, while not significantly altering the electrical properties of the graphene channel region of devices.

UV/Ozone treatment to reduce metal-graphene contact resistance

We report reduced contact resistance of single-layer graphene devices by using ultraviolet ozone treatment to modify the metal/graphene contact interface. The devices were fabricated from mechanically transferred, chemical vapor deposition grown single layer graphene. Ultraviolet ozone treatment of graphene in the contact regions as defined by photolithography and prior to metal deposition was found to reduce interface contamination originating from incomplete removal of poly(methyl-methacrylate) and photoresist. Our control experiment shows that exposure times up to 10 min did not introduce significant disorder in the graphene as characterized by Raman spectroscopy. By using the described approach, contact resistance of less than 200 Ω μm was achieved for 25 min ultraviolet ozone treatment, while not significantly altering the electrical properties of the graphene channel region of devices.

Ultraviolet/ozone treatment to reduce metal-graphene contact resistance

Near-infrared light-emitting devices based on chirality-sorted (8,3), (8,4) enriched carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are fabricated on transparent and flexible substrate. The devices emit near-infrared light with well-defined wavelength, narrow peak width and high intensity. 500 times bending test also shows that the electric properties and electroluminescence (EL) spectra of devices do not decay apparently. This work demonstrates that chirality-sorted CNTs have large advantages in transparent and flexible infrared light source applications.

Flexible light-emitting devices based on chirality-sorted semiconducting carbon nanotube films.

A light-emitting diode is fabricated and characterized on a semiconducting serpentine CNT which has many parallel segments with identical chirality. Compared with the individual CNT and CNT-film devices, the device with parallel segments shows improvement of an order of magnitude in current, significantly larger electroluminescent intensity, and narrower emission bands. Serpentine nanotubes are an ideal choice for practical applications of CNT-based light sources.

Electroluminescence from serpentine carbon nanotube based light-emitting diodes on quartz.

We have successfully measured the electroluminescence spectra of a single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) grown to serpentine shape on quartz substrate. We observe two emission peaks: One locates at 0.85 eV and is identified as the usual E11 exciton peak, and the other locates at slightly higher energy of 0.94 eV with similar symmetrical line shape and comparable intensity. However, the extra peak is substantially wider and it broadens with increasing current at unusually faster speed. We show that the extra peak is not from interband transitions, and ascribe it to a type of exciton induced by the formation of substrate-CNT superlattice. The periodic surface potential of the substrate modulates the CNT band structure, causes degeneracy lifting and band flattering at the Brillouin zone, and generates the higher energy exciton. For confirmation, a similar device is fabricated using amorphous SiO2 substrate to avoid the formation of the superlattice. Indeed, the extra emission peak disappears.

Dangmin Yu

Papers

UV/Ozone treatment to reduce metal-graphene contact resistance

Ultraviolet/ozone treatment to reduce metal-graphene contact resistance

Flexible light-emitting devices based on chirality-sorted semiconducting carbon nanotube films.

Electroluminescence from serpentine carbon nanotube based light-emitting diodes on quartz.

Direct observation of substrate induced exciton in carbon nanotube