Quantum engineering of transistors based on 2D materials heterostructures

TL;DR

This paper reviews the progress and challenges in quantum engineering of 2D material heterostructure transistors, comparing their potential with silicon technology and highlighting lateral heterostructures as promising candidates.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the outlook, technological challenges, and potential performance of quantum-engineered 2D heterostructure transistors.

Findings

Lateral heterostructure transistors show promising performance potential.

Heterostructure formation and control are still in early development stages.

Comparison with silicon technology highlights future prospects and challenges.

Abstract

Quantum engineering entails atom by atom design and fabrication of electronic devices. This innovative technology that unifies materials science and device engineering has been fostered by the recent progress in the fabrication of vertical and lateral heterostructures of two-dimensional materials and by the assessment of the technology potential via computational nanotechnology. But how close are we to the possibility of practical realisation of the next generation atomically thin transistors? In this perspective we analyse the outlook and the challenges of quantum- engineered transistors using heterostructures of two-dimensional materials against the benchmark of silicon technology and its foreseeable evolution in terms of potential performance and manufacturability. Transistors based on lateral heterostructures emerge as the most promising option from a performance point of view, even if heterostructure formation and control are in the initial technology development stage.