Multi-scale modeling of 2D GaSe FETs with strained channels

Abstract

Electronic devices based on bidimensional materials (2DMs) are the subject of an intense experimental research, that demands a tantamount theoretical activity. The latter must be hold up by a varied set of tools able to rationalize, explain and predict the operation principles of the devices. However, in the broad context of multi-scale computational nanoelectronics, there is currently a lack of simulation tools connecting atomistic descriptions with semi-classical mesoscopic device-level simulations and able to properly explain the performance of many state- of-the-art devices. To contribute to filling this gap we present a multi-scale approach that combines fine-level material calculations with a semi-classical drift-diffusion transport model. Its use is exemplified by assessing 2DM field effect transistors with strained channels, showing excellent capabilities to capture the changes in the crystal structure and their impact into the device performance. Interestingly, we verify the capacity of strain in monolayer GaSe to enhance the conduction of one type of carrier, enabling the possibility to mimic the effect of chemical doping on 2D materials. These results illustrate the great potential of the proposed approach to bridge levels of abstraction rarely connected before and thus contribute to the theoretical modeling of state-of-the-art 2DM-based devices.