Breakdown Current Density in BN-Capped Quasi-1D TaSe3 Metallic Nanowires: Prospects of Interconnect Applications

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that BN-capped quasi-1D TaSe3 nanowires can carry current densities over 10 MA/cm2, significantly surpassing copper, with potential for ultra-scaled interconnect applications due to their atomic structure and high breakdown thresholds.

Contribution

First demonstration of high current density in BN-capped quasi-1D TaSe3 nanowires, highlighting their potential for next-generation nanoelectronic interconnects.

Findings

Current density exceeds 10 MA/cm2, an order of magnitude higher than copper.

Nanowires exhibit step-like breakdown related to atomic structure.

Low surface roughness and absence of grain boundaries enable downscaling.

Abstract

We report results of investigation of the current-carrying capacity of nanowires made from the quasi-1D van der Waals metal tantalum triselenide capped with quasi-2D boron nitride. The chemical vapor transport method followed by chemical and mechanical exfoliation were used to fabricate mm-long TaSe3 wires with lateral dimensions in the 20 to 70 nm range. Electrical measurements establish that TaSe3/h-BN nanowire heterostructures have a breakdown current density exceeding 10 MA/cm2 - an order-of-magnitude higher than that in copper. Some devices exhibited an intriguing step-like breakdown, which can be explained by the atomic thread bundle structure of the nanowires. The quasi-1D single crystal nature of TaSe3 results in low surface roughness and the absence of grain boundaries; these features potentially can enable the downscaling of these wires to lateral dimensions in the few-nm range. These results suggest that quasi-1D van der Waals metals have potential for applications in the ultimately downscaled local interconnects.