Unidirectional electron flow in a nanometer-scale semiconductor channel: A self-switching device

Song, Aimin; Missous, M.; Omling, P.; Peaker, А. R.; Samuelson, Lars; Seifert, Werner

doi:10.1063/1.1606881

Cited by 213 publications

(178 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…5 Self-switching diodes (SSDs) offer a fundamentally different approach to zero-bias detection in which rectification and detection is achieved by a lateral field-effect. 6 Simulations have shown the feasibility of achieving rectification in graphene using SSD structures. 7,8 SSD detectors have previously been realized in other materials [9][10][11][12] with the most promising results for GaAs SSDs in which an NEP of 330 pW/Hz 1 =2 at 1.5 THz was observed.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Graphene self-switching diodes as zero-bias microwave detectors

Westlund

Winters

Ivanov

et al. 2015

Applied Physics Letters

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Self-switching diodes (SSDs) were fabricated on as-grown and hydrogen-intercalated epitaxial graphene on SiC. The SSDs were characterized as zero-bias detectors with on-wafer measurements from 1 to 67 GHz. The lowest noise-equivalent power (NEP) was observed in SSDs on the hydrogen-intercalated sample, where a flat NEP of 2.2 nW/Hz 1 =2 and responsivity of 3.9 V/W were measured across the band. The measured NEP demonstrates the potential of graphene SSDs as zero-bias microwave detectors. Graphene exhibits electronic properties which are relevant for high-frequency applications 1 such as zero-bias detection in passive imaging arrays. 2 Detectors drawing zero bias current offer reduced 1/f-noise compared to biased detectors. Zero-bias detectors are today normally based on heterojunctions or Schottky diodes, reaching noise-equivalent power (NEP) below 20 pW/Hz 1 =2 beyond 100 GHz. 3,4 Zero-bias detection has been demonstrated in graphene field-effect transistors (FETs) with an NEP of 515 pW/Hz 1 =2 at 600 GHz. 5 Self-switching diodes (SSDs) offer a fundamentally different approach to zero-bias detection in which rectification and detection is achieved by a lateral field-effect. 6 Simulations have shown the feasibility of achieving rectification in graphene using SSD structures. 7,8 SSD detectors have previously been realized in other materials 9-12 with the most promising results for GaAs SSDs in which an NEP of 330 pW/Hz 1 =2 at 1.5 THz was observed. 13 In this work, detection with rectifying graphene SSDs at frequencies up to 67 GHz is demonstrated. The SSDs are realized in both as-grown (n-type) and hydrogen-intercalated (p-type) epitaxial graphene on SiC. Figure 1 shows a scanning electron micrograph of a single SSD channel fabricated in epitaxial graphene. The narrow graphene channel behaves as a lateral nanowire transistor. 6 The surrounding flanges act as lateral gates which are directly connected to the drain such that the drain voltage is simultaneously applied to the gates. This has the effect of modulating the carrier density in the nanowire channel generating a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic. 14 The inset shows an SSD design implemented for RF detection with nine nanowire channels acting in parallel to reduce resistance and NEP. 15 The SSDs were fabricated at the end of a 70 lm coplanar transmission line, in order to provide a partial RF match.Graphene was grown on the Si-face of two 20 Â 20 mm 2 nominally on-axis semi-insulating (SI) 4H-SiC substrates in a horizontal hot wall chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor. 16 Graphene growth was carried out at 1300 C to 1400 C in vacuum after an initial in-situ surface preparation of the substrates in a hydrogen/silane background. One of the samples was then intercalated in hydrogen at a temperature (pressure) of 800 C (500 mbar) in order to obtain quasi-free standing graphene. SSDs and supplementary test structures were fabricated on the graphene layers with and without H-intercalation. As-grown samples then consisted of a monolayer plus carbon buf...

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confidence: 99%

“…The narrow graphene channel behaves as a lateral nanowire transistor. 6 The surrounding flanges act as lateral gates which are directly connected to the drain such that the drain voltage is simultaneously applied to the gates. This has the effect of modulating the carrier density in the nanowire channel generating a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic.…”

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confidence: 99%

Graphene self-switching diodes as zero-bias microwave detectors

Westlund

Winters

Ivanov

et al. 2015

Applied Physics Letters

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“…1. This device provides an attractive rectifying I-V characteristic without the use of any doping junction or barrier structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

THz operation of self-switching nano-diodes and nano-transistors

et al. 2005

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By means of the microscopic transport description supplied by a semiclassical 2D Monte Carlo simulator, we provide an in depth explanation of the operation (based on electrostatic effects) of the nanoscale unipolar rectifying diode, so called self-switching diode (SSD), recently proposed in [A. M. Song, M. Missous, P. Omling, A. R. Peaker, L. Samuelson, and W. Seifert, Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 1881Lett. 83, (2003]. This device provides a rectifying behavior without the use of any doping junction or barrier structure (like in p-n or Schottky barrier diodes) and can be fabricated with a simple single-step lithographic process. The simple downscaling of this device and the use of materials providing high electron velocity (like high In content InGaAs channels) allows to envisage the fabrication of structures working in the THz range. With a slight modification of the geometry of the SSD, a lateral gate contact can be added, so that a nanometer self-switching transistor (SST) can be easily fabricated. We analyze the high frequency performance of the diodes and transistors and provide design considerations for the optimization of the downscaling process.

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“…mechanism that leads to the transport asymmetry of a SSD is explained in terms of the opening of the channel due the modulation of carriers (electrons) along the channel by those lateral gates. 14 This concept has been explored using two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) systems such as InAlAs/InGaAs 14 and AlGaAs/GaAs 7 heterostructures; but the work principle is not entirely based on the 2DEG properties. As far as known, these types of devices have been fabricated in bulk materials like Silicon, 16 transparent semiconductors like ZnO 17 and ITO; 18 and recently a graphene-based SSD has been demonstrated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The channels asymmetry results in a remarkably diode-like behavior induced by the surface charges at flanges. 14,15 The SSDs can be understood as a two-dimensional field-effect transistor with gate and drain short-circuited where flanges act as a double lateral-gate terminal. 6 The basic a Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terahertz harvesting with shape-optimized InAlAs/InGaAs self-switching nanodiodes

et al. 2015

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In this letter, self-switching nanochannels have been proposed as an enabling technology for energy gathering in the terahertz (THz) regime. Such devices combine their diode-like behavior and high-speed of operation in order to generate DC electrical power from high-frequency signals. By using finite-element simulations, we have improved the sensitivity of L-shaped and V-shaped nanochannels based on InAlAs/InGaAs samples. Since those devices combine geometrical effects with their rectifying properties at zero-bias, we have improved their performance by optimizing their shape. Results show nominal sensitivities at zero-bias in the order of 40 V−1 and 20 V−1, attractive values for harvesting applications with square-law rectifiers.

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Unidirectional electron flow in a nanometer-scale semiconductor channel: A self-switching device

Cited by 213 publications

References 21 publications

Graphene self-switching diodes as zero-bias microwave detectors

Graphene self-switching diodes as zero-bias microwave detectors

THz operation of self-switching nano-diodes and nano-transistors

Terahertz harvesting with shape-optimized InAlAs/InGaAs self-switching nanodiodes

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