High current density electrical breakdown of TiS3 nanoribbon-based field-effect transistors

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that TiS3 nanoribbon transistors can sustain extremely high current densities, with breakdown primarily caused by oxidation and sulfur desorption, highlighting their potential for high-power electronic applications.

Contribution

We provide the first detailed analysis of high current density breakdown mechanisms in TiS3 nanoribbons, combining experimental data with theoretical modeling.

Findings

Breakdown current density up to 1.7×10^6 A/cm^2 in TiS3 nanoribbons

Oxidation and sulfur desorption are key factors in electrical breakdown

TiS3 shows promise for high-power electronic applications

Abstract

The high field transport characteristics of nanostructured transistors based on layered materials are not only important from a device physics perspective but also for possible applications in next generation electronics. With the growing promise of layered materials as replacements to conventional silicon technology, we study here the high current density properties of the layered material titanium trisulfide (TiS3). We observe high breakdown current densities up to 1.7 10^6 A/cm^2 in TiS3 nanoribbon-based field-effect transistors which are among the highest found in semiconducting nanomaterials. Investigating the mechanisms responsible for current breakdown, we perform a thermogravimetric analysis of bulk TiS3 and compare the results with density functional theory (DFT) and Kinetic Monte Carlo calculations. We conclude that oxidation of TiS3 and subsequent desorption of sulfur atoms plays an important role in the electrical breakdown of the material in ambient conditions. Our results show that TiS3 is an attractive material for high power applications and lend insight to the thermal and defect activated mechanisms responsible for electrical breakdown in nanostructured devices.