Electrical Characteristics of Top-Down ZnO Nanowire Transistors Using Remote Plasma ALD

• Published in: IEEE electron device letters Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 203 - 205
• Main Authors: Sultan, S. M., Sun, K., Clark, O. D., Masaud, T. B., Fang, Q., Gunn, R., Partridge, J., Allen, M. W., Ashburn, P., Chong, H. M. H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-02-2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atomic layer deposition (ALD); Channels; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Devices; Electric variables; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fabrication; FETs; field-effect transistor (FET); Materials science; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale devices; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; nanowire; Nanowires; Physics; Plasmas; Quantum wires; remote plasma; Semiconductor devices; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; top-down fabrication; Transistors; Zinc oxide; ZnO; Atomic layer method; II-VI compound; Dry etching; top-down fabrication, ZnO; field-effect transistor (FET); IV-VI compound; Nanoelectronics; Atomic layer deposition (ALD); Field effect transistor; Long channel; Microelectronic fabrication; High voltage; Disruptive voltage; Nanowire device; Silicon oxides; n type semiconductor; Drain current; Zinc oxide; remote plasma; Miniaturization; Nanowires; Plasma deposition; Electrical characteristic; nanowire
• ISSN: 0741-3106; 1558-0563; 1558-0563
• DOI: 10.1109/LED.2011.2174607

Top-down fabrication is used to produce ZnO nanowires by remote plasma atomic layer deposition over a SiO 2 pillar and anisotropic dry etching. Nanowire field-effect transistors (FETs), with channel lengths in the range of 1.3-18.6 μm, are then fabricated using these 80 nm × 40 nm nanowires. Measured electrical results show n-type enhancement behavior and a breakdown voltage ≥75 V at all channel lengths. This is the first report of high-voltage operation for ZnO nanowire FETs. Reproducible well-behaved electrical characteristics are obtained, and the drain current scales with 1/ L , as expected for long-channel FETs. A respectable I ON / I OFF ratio of 2×10 6 is obtained.