Performance limit of monolayer MoSi2N4 transistors

Abstract

Recently, a novel two-dimensional (2D) MoSi₂N₄ has been successfully synthesized and features high carrier mobility, moderate bandgap, and outstanding ambient stability (Science 369, 670, 2020). Through ab initio quantum transport simulations, we investigated the performance limits of the monolayer (ML) MoSi₂N₄ metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). We found that the optimized n- and p-type ML MoSi₂N₄ transistors can well satisfy the key criteria of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) for high performance (HP) applications at a 3 nm gate length, while the p-type devices can also fulfill the requirement of low power (LP) applications at a 5 nm gate length. By taking advantage of the negative capacitance (NC) effect, both the n- and p-type MOSFETs can achieve the ITRS LP goal when the gate length is decreased to 3 nm. The ML MoSi₂N₄ MOSFETs generally outperform their MoS₂ counterparts. Hence, MoSi₂N₄ is a potential alternative to MoS₂ to expand Moore's law beyond the sub-5 nm scale.