Design and demonstration of EID MOS-HEMTs on Si substrate with normally depleted AlGaN/GaN epitaxial layer

An extrinsic electron induced by a dielectric (EID) AlGaN/GaN MOS high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) on Si substrate was designed and investigated. The EID structure with SiO2 deposition and subsequent high-temperature annealing, which induces two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) on fully depleted AlGaN/GaN hetero-epitaxial layers with thin AlGaN barrier layer, was applied to access and drift regions in the HEMT. The fabricated HEMT exhibited enhancement-mode operation with a specific on-resistance of 7.6 mΩcm2 and a breakdown voltage of over 1 kV. In addition, electron state analysis using hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that changes in the chemical states of Al and energy level lowering at the SiO2/AlGaN interface affect the induction of 2DEG in the EID structure. The proposed HEMTs should become a strong candidate for highly reliable high-power switching devices due to the damage-less fabrication without dry etching or fluorine plasma exposure processes on the semiconductor layers.

Properties of AlN/GaN Heterostructures Grown at Low Growth Temperatures with Ammonia and Dimethylhydrazine

The integration of different electronic materials systems together has gained increasing interest in recent years, with the III-nitrides being a favorable choice for a variety of electronic applications. To increase flexibility in integration options, growing nitrides material directly on semi-processed wafers would be advantageous, necessitating low temperature (LT) growth schemes. In this work, the growth of AlN and GaN was conducted via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using both NH3 and DMHy as N-precursors. The relationships between growth rate versus temperature were determined within the range of 300 to 550 °C. The growth of AlN/GaN heterostructures was also investigated herein, employing flow modulation epitaxy MOCVD at 550 °C. Subsequent samples were studied via atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, TEM, and Hall measurements. Two-dimensional electron gases were found in samples where the LT AlN layer was grown with NH3, with one sample showing high electron mobility and sheet charge of 540 cm2/V∙s and 3.76 × 1013 cm−2, respectively. Inserting a LT GaN layer under the LT AlN layer caused the mobility and charge to marginally decrease while still maintaining sufficiently high values. This sets the groundwork towards use of LT nitrides MOCVD in future electronic devices integrating III-nitrides with other materials.

Magneto-tunnelling transport of chiral charge carriers

<p>We study magneto-tunnelling between two parallel two-dimensional electron gases theoretically, where the electrons have a pseudo-spin-½ degree of freedom that is coupled to their momentum. The two-dimensional electron gases focused on in this work are single layer graphene, bilayer graphene, and single layer molybdenum disulphide. The results are derived using a linear response theory formalism in the weak tunnelling regime, and it is assumed that the electron gases are at zero temperature, with no interactions or disorder. The linear magneto-tunnelling conductance characteristics for an applied in-plane and tilted magnetic field are found to strongly depend on the pseudo-spin structure of the tunnelling matrix and the pseudo-spin's dependence on momentum. For instance, resonances in the linear magneto-tunnelling conductance are sensitive to the pseudo-spin tunnel-coupling across the barrier and how the pseudo-spin eigenstates are coupled to momentum. We discuss how measurements of the magneto-tunnelling conductance can be applied as a spectroscopic tool. We explain how to measure the pseudo-spin tunnel-coupling through least squares parameter fitting of the magneto-tunnelling conductance. We show that the parameters are interdependent, one can use the interdependency to test the consistency between theory and experiment. It is expected that measurements of pseudo-spin tunnel-coupling will be a function of the lattice structure of the double layer system, which suggests these measurements can be used as a spectroscopic tool. Additionally, we investigate in-plane electric fields in single layer graphene to see if their effects can be observed in magneto-tunnelling transport. Then, we perturbatively include the effects of electron-electron interactions in single layer graphene, and find it should dampen the linear tunnelling conductance. We investigate tunnel-coupled , parallel , single layer and bilayer graphene systems. We find that using an in-plane magnetic field, one can generate a valley polarized tunnelling current. This method is unique because it does not require manipulation of the single and bilayer graphene samples through nano-structuring, coupling to electromagnetic fields, application of mechanical strain, or the presence of defects. In particular, the valley polarization is dependent on the pseudo-spin tunnel-coupling between the single and bilayer graphene systems, and the strength of an applied in-plane magnetic field. We explicitly show through analytic derivations how an understanding of linear magneto-tunnelling transport (zero bias limit) can be used to understand non-linear magneto-tunnelling transport (finite bias).</p>

Magneto-tunnelling transport of chiral charge carriers

<p>We study magneto-tunnelling between two parallel two-dimensional electron gases theoretically, where the electrons have a pseudo-spin-½ degree of freedom that is coupled to their momentum. The two-dimensional electron gases focused on in this work are single layer graphene, bilayer graphene, and single layer molybdenum disulphide. The results are derived using a linear response theory formalism in the weak tunnelling regime, and it is assumed that the electron gases are at zero temperature, with no interactions or disorder. The linear magneto-tunnelling conductance characteristics for an applied in-plane and tilted magnetic field are found to strongly depend on the pseudo-spin structure of the tunnelling matrix and the pseudo-spin's dependence on momentum. For instance, resonances in the linear magneto-tunnelling conductance are sensitive to the pseudo-spin tunnel-coupling across the barrier and how the pseudo-spin eigenstates are coupled to momentum. We discuss how measurements of the magneto-tunnelling conductance can be applied as a spectroscopic tool. We explain how to measure the pseudo-spin tunnel-coupling through least squares parameter fitting of the magneto-tunnelling conductance. We show that the parameters are interdependent, one can use the interdependency to test the consistency between theory and experiment. It is expected that measurements of pseudo-spin tunnel-coupling will be a function of the lattice structure of the double layer system, which suggests these measurements can be used as a spectroscopic tool. Additionally, we investigate in-plane electric fields in single layer graphene to see if their effects can be observed in magneto-tunnelling transport. Then, we perturbatively include the effects of electron-electron interactions in single layer graphene, and find it should dampen the linear tunnelling conductance. We investigate tunnel-coupled , parallel , single layer and bilayer graphene systems. We find that using an in-plane magnetic field, one can generate a valley polarized tunnelling current. This method is unique because it does not require manipulation of the single and bilayer graphene samples through nano-structuring, coupling to electromagnetic fields, application of mechanical strain, or the presence of defects. In particular, the valley polarization is dependent on the pseudo-spin tunnel-coupling between the single and bilayer graphene systems, and the strength of an applied in-plane magnetic field. We explicitly show through analytic derivations how an understanding of linear magneto-tunnelling transport (zero bias limit) can be used to understand non-linear magneto-tunnelling transport (finite bias).</p>

Harnessing Conductive Oxide Interfaces for Resistive Random-Access Memories

Two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) can be formed at some oxide interfaces, providing a fertile ground for creating extraordinary physical properties. These properties can be exploited in various novel electronic devices such as transistors, gas sensors, and spintronic devices. Recently several works have demonstrated the application of 2DEGs for resistive random-access memories (RRAMs). We briefly review the basics of oxide 2DEGs, emphasizing scalability and maturity and describing a recent trend of progression from epitaxial oxide interfaces (such as LaAlO3/SrTiO3) to simple and highly scalable amorphous-polycrystalline systems (e.g., Al2O3/TiO2). We critically describe and compare recent RRAM devices based on these systems and highlight the possible advantages and potential of 2DEGs systems for RRAM applications. We consider the immediate challenges to revolve around scaling from one device to large arrays, where further progress with series resistance reduction and fabrication techniques needs to be made. We conclude by laying out some of the opportunities presented by 2DEGs based RRAM, including increased tunability and design flexibility, which could, in turn, provide advantages for multi-level capabilities.

Tuning two-dimensional electron and hole gases at LaInO3/BaSnO3 interfaces by polar distortions, termination, and thickness

Two-dimensional electron gases (2DEG), arising due to quantum confinement at interfaces between transparent conducting oxides, have received tremendous attention in view of electronic applications. Here, we explore the potential of interfaces formed by two lattice-matched wide-gap oxides of emerging interest, i.e., the polar, orthorhombic perovskite LaInO3 and the nonpolar, cubic perovskite BaSnO3, employing first-principles approaches. We find that the polar discontinuity at the interface is mainly compensated by electronic relaxation through charge transfer from the LaInO3 to the BaSnO3 side. This leads to the formation of a 2DEG hosted by the highly dispersive Sn-s-derived conduction band and a 2D hole gas of O-p character, strongly localized inside LaInO3. We rationalize how polar distortions, termination, thickness, and dimensionality of the system (periodic or non-periodic) can be exploited in view of tailoring the 2DEG characteristics, and why this material is superior to the most studied prototype LaAlO3/SrTiO3.

Fractionalized conductivity and emergent self-duality near topological phase transitions

The experimental discovery of the fractional Hall conductivity in two-dimensional electron gases revealed new types of quantum particles, called anyons, which are beyond bosons and fermions as they possess fractionalized exchange statistics. These anyons are usually studied deep inside an insulating topological phase. It is natural to ask whether such fractionalization can be detected more broadly, say near a phase transition from a conventional to a topological phase. To answer this question, we study a strongly correlated quantum phase transition between a topological state, called a $${{\mathbb{Z}}}_{2}$$ Z 2 quantum spin liquid, and a conventional superfluid using large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulations. Our results show that the universal conductivity at the quantum critical point becomes a simple fraction of its value at the conventional insulator-to-superfluid transition. Moreover, a dynamically self-dual optical conductivity emerges at low temperatures above the transition point, indicating the presence of the elusive vison particles. Our study opens the door for the experimental detection of anyons in a broader regime, and has ramifications in the study of quantum materials, programmable quantum simulators, and ultra-cold atomic gases. In the latter case, we discuss the feasibility of measurements in optical lattices using current techniques.