Reversible hysteresis inversion in MoS2 field effect transistors

Abstract The origin of threshold voltage instability with gate voltage in MoS₂ transistors is poorly understood but critical for device reliability and performance. Reversibility of the temperature dependence of hysteresis and its inversion with temperature in MoS₂ transistors has not been demonstrated. In this work, we delineate two independent mechanisms responsible for thermally assisted hysteresis inversion in gate transfer characteristics of contact resistance-independent multilayer MoS₂ transistors. Variable temperature hysteresis measurements were performed on gated four-terminal van der Pauw and two-terminal devices of MoS₂ on SiO₂. Additional hysteresis measurements on suspended (~100 nm air gap between MoS₂ and SiO₂) transistors and under different ambient conditions (vacuum/nitrogen) were used to further isolate the mechanisms. Clockwise hysteresis at room temperature (300 K) that decreases with increasing temperature is shown to result from intrinsic defects/traps in MoS₂. At higher temperatures a second, independent mechanism of charge trapping and de-trapping between the oxide and p⁺ Si gate leads to hysteresis collapse at ~350 K and anti-clockwise hysteresis (inversion) for temperatures >350 K. The intrinsic-oxide trap model has been corroborated through device simulations. Further, pulsed current–voltage (I–V) measurements were carried out to extract the trap time constants at different temperatures. Non-volatile memory and temperature sensor applications exploiting temperature dependent hysteresis inversion and its reversibility in MoS₂ transistors have also been demonstrated.