PULSE2D · Pulsed plasma technology for 2D materials integration
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2017-09-01 → 2019-08-31
- EU contribution
- €160,800
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Pulsed plasma technology for 2D materials integration
We got used to have faster, smaller and more power-efficient gadgets every year. This fantastic progress has been enabled by miniaturization of silicon transistors (so-called Moore’s law). Nowadays, the classical scaling is reaching its physical limits with critical dimensions as small as just a few nanometers. This explains the growing interest towards novel materials that can potentially replace silicon in future high performance electronic devices. Two-dimensional materials such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted significant interest due to their unique electronic, optical and mechanical properties. Field effect transistors with channels made of atomically thin 2D semiconductors are less prone to short channel effects which allows device scaling to a few nanometer scale. Due to the absence of surface dangling bonds 2D materials can be assembled in heterostructures with sharp interfaces and specific band alignments paving the way to fabrication of novel low power devices. While exceptional properties of TMDs have been demonstrated on mechanically exfoliated flakes (using the Nobel-winning scotch tape technique) large scale integration of these materials into sophisticated devices remains very challenging. Due to the extreme sensitivity and fragility of 2D crystals in comparison to classical bulk materials, all processing technologies used in semiconductor fabs (e.g. deposition, etching, cleaning) have to be reexamined. The goal of the PULSE2D project is to develop plasma-based technology for cleaning, functionalization and etching of TMD materials with atomic-scale precision (Figure 1). Application of developed processes will allow integration of 2D TMDs on full wafers in semiconductor fabs leading to fabrication of new generations of high-performance devices.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Atomically thin layers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) are gaining increasing attention as new materials for futureBeyond-CMOS electronics. Recently, a great progress has been made in deposition of high quality layers of TMDs pavingthe way towards wafer scale device manufacturing. However, many fundamental and technological challenges still have tobe addressed. Precise tuning of the number of layers, doping, surface functionalization and selective low damage etching ofTMDs are among the most critical technological steps. Plasma processing is an enabling technology used for doping,etching and deposition of ultrathin layers in microelectronics industry. However, the application of plasmas for integration of2D materials remains marginal and poorly controlled. The major challenge for plasma treatment of atomically thin materialsis the need for unprecedented control of fluxes and energies of plasma species at the substrate. Pulsed plasma technologyholds promise of reaching conditions required for low damage processing of 2D materials with a single atomic layerprecision. The ambition of PULSE2D is to develop highly controlled pulsed-plasma technology for integration of TMDs innano-electronic devices on a wafer-scale. A fundamental study of the mechanisms of interaction between pulsed plasmasand atomically thin TMD materials will be performed. Defect production, adsorption and etching processes will be quantifiedas a function of plasma parameters. This information will be used to perform atomic layer etching, functionalization anddefect healing of TMDs using pulsed plasmas. The research and training activities will enhance technical skills of thecandidate in the emerging area of plasma processing of 2D materials, industry-relevant nano-fabrication and measurementof TMDs transport characteristics. High fundamental and technological interest and timeliness of this subject will provide apowerful thrust for the future research career of the candidate.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUM · LeuvenCoordinatorBelgium
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union