As the semiconductor industry approaches the limits of conventional scaling,
I have focused on overcoming critical challenges related to dielectric
integration on two-dimensional (2D) materials. These atomically thin
materials offer excellent elect...
As the semiconductor industry approaches the limits of conventional scaling,
I have focused on overcoming critical challenges related to dielectric
integration on two-dimensional (2D) materials. These atomically thin
materials offer excellent electronic properties but require high-quality
dielectric layers with pristine interfaces to fully realize their potential. In this
dissertation, I present two complementary approaches to engineer such
interfaces, enabling the advancement of 2D electronics and monolithic three
dimensional (M3D) integration.
First, I developed a fluorinated graphene (FG)-assisted transfer technique to
integrate atomic-layer-deposited (ALD) oxide films onto 2D materials. By
utilizing the dipole interaction between fluorine and carbon atoms in FG, I
achieved uniform and ultraflat oxide deposition on inert 2D surfaces. Upon
heating to approximately 400 °C, fluorine atoms dissociate, allowing the
clean detachment of oxide layers. I then reassembled these films into
vertically stacked heterostructures with sharp, defect-free van der Waals
(vdW) interfaces and minimal interlayer mixing. Using this method, I
fabricated top-gate field-effect transistors (FETs) with MoS2 and ZnO
channels, demonstrating high performance and stable operation. This
approach also offers a scalable route for M3D integration by addressing lattice
mismatch and thermal budget constraints.
In parallel, I investigated direct epitaxial growth of a molecular crystal
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dielectric, antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), on 2D materials via physical vapor
deposition (PVD). I found that Sb2O3 nanosheets could be epitaxially aligned
at specific orientations (0° and 180°) on the 2D templates, forming atomically
sharp vdW interfaces without damaging the substrate. These crystalline
dielectrics exhibit high breakdown fields up to 18.6 MV/cm and extremely
low leakage currents at nanometer-scale thicknesses. I also analyzed the effect
of grain boundary misorientations on device stability, revealing that well
ordered boundaries contribute to superior electrical and thermal robustness.
Together, these two strategies provide a comprehensive framework to
engineer high-quality dielectric interfaces for next-generation 2D electronics.
By combining a modular transfer technique and direct epitaxial growth, I
demonstrate scalable, low-damage, and high-performance methods that
address fundamental bottlenecks in dielectric integration. This work lays the
groundwork for future electronic devices that combine planar 2D materials
with vertically stacked architectures, advancing both device performance and
integration density.