Hydrogenated Borophene as a Promising Two-Dimensional Semiconductor for Nanoscale Field-Effect Transistors: A Computational Study

As the lightest two-dimensional (2D) metal, borophene was rarely applied in semiconductor devices. The recently synthesized hydrogenated borophene (B8H4) opens up the possibility for 2D boron-based semiconductors. Here, by first-principles calculations, we evaluate the potential application of B8H4 in nanoscale field-effect transistors (FETs). We disclose the tunable electronic properties of monolayer B8H4 under strain engineering and the promising electrical performance of B8H4-based FETs in the ballistic transport regime. We also reveal that pristine B8H4-FETs can fulfill the ITRS (International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors) requirement for high-performance devices with 5 nm channel length in terms of on-current, delay time, and power-delay product. Moreover, 5% biaxial compressive strain can further scale B8H4-FETs down to 3 nm gate length. This study unveils the potential applications of B8H4 in sub-5 nm FETs and underlines the promising role of boron-based semiconductors in future nanoelectronics.