Intrinsic Photoconductivity of Few-layered ZrS2 Phototransistors via Multiterminal Measurements

Authors

  • Rukshan M. Tanthirige Layered Materials and Device Physics Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Physics and Atmospheric Science, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA
  • Carlos Garcia National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
  • Saikat Ghosh Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
  • Frederick Jackson II Layered Materials and Device Physics Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Physics and Atmospheric Science, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA
  • Jawnaye Nash Layered Materials and Device Physics Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Physics and Atmospheric Science, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA
  • Daniel Rosenmann Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S-Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL-60439, USA
  • Ralu Divan Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S-Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL-60439, USA
  • Liliana Stan Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S-Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL-60439, USA
  • Anirudha V. Sumant Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S-Cass Avenue, Lemont, IL-60439, USA
  • Stephen A. McGill National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
  • Paresh C. Ray Layered Materials and Device Physics Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Physics and Atmospheric Science, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA
  • Nihar R. Pradhan Layered Materials and Device Physics Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Physics and Atmospheric Science, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/ssid.v1i2.1526

Abstract

We report intrinsic photoconductivity studies on one of the least examinedlayered compounds, ZrS2.Few-atomic layer ZrS2 field-effect transistorswere fabricated on the Si/SiO2 substrate and photoconductivity measurements were performed using both two- and four-terminal configurationsunder the illumination of 532 nm laser source. We measured photocurrentas a function of the incident optical power at several source-drain (bias)voltages. We observe a significantly large photoconductivity when measured in the multiterminal (four-terminal) configuration compared to thatin the two-terminal configuration. For an incident optical power of 90nW, the estimated photosensitivity and the external quantum efficiency(EQE) measured in two-terminal configuration are 0.5 A/W and 120%,respectively, under a bias voltage of 650 mV. Under the same conditions,the four-terminal measurements result in much higher values for both thephotoresponsivity (R) and EQE to 6 A/W and 1400%, respectively. Thissignificant improvement in photoresponsivity and EQE in the four-terminal configuration may have been influenced by the reduction of contactresistance at the metal-semiconductor interface, which greatly impacts thecarrier mobility of low conducting materials. This suggests that photoconductivity measurements performed through the two-terminal configurationin previous studies on ZrS2 and other 2D materials have severely underestimated the true intrinsic properties of transition metal dichalcogenides andtheir remarkable potential for optoelectronic applications.

Keywords:

Field-effect transistors; Zirconium sulphide; Phototransistor; Responsivity; Quantum efficiency

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Tanthirige, R. M., Garcia, C., Ghosh, S., II, F. J., Nash, J., Rosenmann, D., Divan, R., Stan, L., Sumant, A. V., McGill, S. A., Ray, P. C., & Pradhan, N. R. (2019). Intrinsic Photoconductivity of Few-layered ZrS2 Phototransistors via Multiterminal Measurements. Semiconductor Science and Information Devices, 1(2), 19–28. https://doi.org/10.30564/ssid.v1i2.1526

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