Large-scale chemical assembly of atomically thin transistors and circuits

Title	Large-scale chemical assembly of atomically thin transistors and circuits
Authors	Mervin Zhao, Yu Ye, Yimo Han, Yang Xia, Hanyu Zhu, Siqi Wang, Yuan Wang, David A. Muller, Xiang Zhang
Magazine	Nature Nanotechnology
Date	07/11/2016
DOI	10.1038/nnano.2016.115
Introduction	The development of advanced electronics necessitates novel materials that surpass silicon's capabilities, offering enhanced functionality, performance, and miniaturisation for integrated circuits. Two-dimensional materials, specifically gapless graphene and semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides, present compelling alternatives due to their ultrathin atomic structure and strong chemical stability. Nevertheless, challenges in achieving precise spatial control during the fabrication of these materials currently hinder their practical integration into functional devices. This study details the successful large-scale, spatially controlled synthesis of heterostructures comprising single-layer semiconducting molybdenum disulphide in direct contact with conductive graphene. Investigations using transmission electron microscopy indicate that the single-layer molybdenum disulphide preferentially forms at the edges of the graphene. We showcase that these chemically fabricated atomic transistors deliver impressive performance metrics, including a high transconductance of 10 µS, an on-off ratio of approximately 10^6, and a mobility of around 17 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹. The inherent site selectivity of these atomically thin conducting and semiconducting crystals facilitates their utilisation in building two-dimensional logic circuits, exemplified by an NMOS inverter demonstrating a high voltage gain of up to 70.
Quote	Mervin Zhao, Yu Ye and Yimo Han et al. Large-scale chemical assembly of atomically thin transistors and circuits. Nat Nanotechnol. 2016. Vol. 11(11):954-959. DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2016.115
Element	Carbon (C) , Molybdenum (Mo) , Sulfur (S) , Silicon (Si)
Industry	Electronics