Performance and reliability potential of Bi$_2$O$_2$Se/Bi$_2$SeO$_5$ transistors

TL;DR

This study evaluates the performance, stability, and reliability of Bi₂O₂Se/Bi₂SeO₅ transistors using a multiscale approach, demonstrating their potential for future nanoelectronic applications at ultra-scaled dimensions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive multiscale analysis of Bi₂O₂Se/Bi₂SeO₅ transistors, linking atomistic defects to device reliability and proposing mitigation strategies for oxygen-related issues.

Findings

Oxygen-related defects cause hysteresis and threshold shifts.

Encapsulation and oxygen-rich annealing mitigate defect effects.

Transistors meet IRDS 2037 performance benchmarks at ultra-scaled dimensions.

Abstract

While 2D materials have enormous potential for future device technologies, many challenges must be overcome before they can be deployed at an industrial scale. One of these challenges is identifying the right semiconductor/insulator combination that ensures high performance, stability, and reliability. In contrast to conventional 2D interfaces, which suffer from van der Waals gaps or covalent bonding issues, zippered structures such as the high-mobility 2D semiconductor Bi$_2$O$_2$Se and its native high-$\kappa$ oxide Bi$_2$SeO$_5$ offer high-quality interfaces, good scalability, and excellent device performance. While most prior work has focused mainly on basic device behavior, here we also thoroughly assess the stability and reliability of this material system using a multiscale approach that integrates electrical characterization, density functional theory, and TCAD simulations, linking atomistic states to device-scale reliability. By analyzing four transistor design generations (top-gated, fin, and two gate-all-around FETs), we provide realistic predictions for how this system performs at the ultimate scaling limit. We identify oxygen-related defects in the oxide as the main contributors to hysteresis and recoverable threshold shifts, and we propose mitigation strategies through encapsulation or oxygen-rich annealing. Benchmarking the extracted material parameters against IRDS 2037 requirements, we demonstrate that Bi$_2$O$_2$Se/Bi$_2$SeO$_5$ transistors can achieve high drain and low gate currents at ultra-scaled conditions. These findings position this material system as a technologically credible and manufacturing-relevant pathway for future nanoelectronics.