Excellence in Research: Development of two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and molybdenum selenium (MoSe2) thin-film nanomaterials and nanoelectronic devices

二维半导体纳米材料是一种很有前途的电子纳米材料，由于其优越的电学性能，可以用于未来的高速纳米电子学。在本项目中，将采用等离子体增强原子层沉积的方法生长二维二硫化钼（MoS2）和钼硒（MoSe2）半导体薄膜纳米材料。二维二硫化钼和钼硒薄膜纳米材料将用于制造二维纳米材料基场效应晶体管和集成电子器件。该器件的制造与目前计算机芯片的硅集成器件的标准制造相兼容，并可能导致具有更小晶体管的基于二维纳米材料的计算机芯片。半导体设备代表着一个价值数万亿美元的产业。基于二维纳米材料的纳米电子器件可以为快速发展的半导体和纳米制造产业做出贡献，并且是硅基电子器件的潜在替代品。这个项目可以对美国和全球社会产生巨大影响，并提供许多社会效益。本课程的主要教育目标是整合研究目标，以提升学生的教育体验。少数民族研究生和本科生将在该项目中进行纳米制造和纳米技术的研究。该项目还将为高中生提供暑期研究机会。本课题的研究目标是利用远程等离子体增强原子层沉积（PE-ALD）技术生长二维（2D）二硫化钼（MoS2）和钼硒（MoSe2）半导体薄膜纳米材料，并制备基于二维纳米材料的纳米电子器件。将采用一种创新的局部生长方法来生长具有高有序纳米层和纳米结构的二维纳米材料。与传统的二维纳米材料生长在平坦光滑的衬底表面不同，创新的局部生长将使用纳米图案衬底来生长具有高有序纳米层和纳米结构的二维纳米材料，并允许氧化铪和氧化锆等衬底材料用于二维纳米材料的生长。然后，二维纳米材料将被用作有源通道材料，用于制造基于二维纳米材料的场效应晶体管（fet）和集成电子电路，如使用基于洁净室的微纳米制造技术的逆变器和振荡器。二维二硫化钼和钼硒纳米材料是电子器件应用中具有适当带隙的半导体材料，具有独特的电学性质，如弹道量子输运，这使得基于二维纳米材料的场效应管具有更高的电流通/关比，并且在没有能量损耗的情况下运行更快。基于二维材料的纳米电子器件为超越摩尔定律的进一步小型化提供了许多好处，并有可能彻底改变未来的电子技术。该项目具有潜在的变革性，将创造一种新的二维纳米材料和器件制造范式。该项目为二维纳米材料和纳米电子器件的制造提供了新的方法，将极大地造福于研究界和半导体行业。创新的局部生长方法可以有效地生长具有高有序纳米层和纳米结构的纳米层二维薄膜材料，而远程等离子体增强原子层沉积可以为生长具有改进电性能的二维纳米材料提供新的机会，从而实现更高性能的功能二维纳米电子器件。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor nanomaterials are promising electronic nanomaterials and could be used for future high-speed nanoelectronics because of their superior electrical properties. In this project, 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and molybdenum selenium (MoSe2) semiconductor thin-film nanomaterials will be grown using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition. The 2D molybdenum disulfide and molybdenum selenium thin-film nanomaterials will be used to fabricate 2D nanomaterial-based field-effect transistors and integrated electronic devices. The device fabrication is compatible with the current standard fabrication of silicon integrated devices for computer chips and could lead to 2D nanomaterial-based computer chips with much smaller transistors. Semiconductor devices represent a multi-trillion-dollar industry. The 2D nanomaterial-based nanoelectronic devices could contribute to the rapidly growing industry of semiconductor and nano-manufacturing and are potential alternatives to silicon-based electronic devices. This project can have great impacts on US and global societies and provide many societal benefits. The primary educational goal of this program is to integrate the research objectives to enhance the educational experiences of students. Minority graduate and undergraduate students will be mentored to perform research in nanofabrication and nanotechnology in the project. The project will also offer summer research opportunities for high school students. The research objective of this project is to grow two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and molybdenum selenium (MoSe2) semiconductor thin-film nanomaterials using remote plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) and fabricate 2D nanomaterial-based nanoelectronic devices. An innovative localized growth method will be used to grow the 2D nanomaterials with higher ordered nanolayers and nanostructures. Unlike the conventional growth of 2D nanomaterials which grow the nanomaterials on a flat and smooth surface of substrate, the innovative localized growth will use nano-patterned substrates to grow the 2D nanomaterials with higher-ordered nanolayers and nanostructures and would allow substrate materials such as hafnium oxide and zirconium oxide for the growth of the 2D nanomaterials. The 2D nanomaterials will then be used as the active channel material to fabricate 2D nanomaterial-based field-effect transistors (FETs) and integrated electronic circuits such as inverters and oscillators using cleanroom-based micro and nanofabrication techniques. The 2D molybdenum disulfide and molybdenum selenium nanomaterials are semiconductor materials with appropriate band gaps for electronic devices applications and have unique electrical properties such as ballistic quantum transport, which enable the 2D nanomaterial-based FETs to have higher current on/off ratios and to operate faster without energy dissipation. Nanoelectronic devices built on the 2D materials offer many benefits for further miniaturization beyond Moore’s Law and the possibility to revolutionize future electronic technologies. This project is potentially transformative and will create a new 2D nanomaterial and device fabrication paradigm. The project will greatly benefit the research community and semiconductor industry by providing new approaches for the fabrication of 2D nanomaterials and nanoelectronic devices. The innovative localized growth method can effectively grow nanolayered 2D thin-film materials with higher-ordered nanolayers and nanostructures while remote plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition can offer new opportunities to grow 2D nanomaterials with improved electrical properties, leading to higher-performance functional 2D nanoelectronic devices.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.