A novel stack-HfO2 top-gate structure for improving performance of network carbon nanotube transistor

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/ae067e

Abstract Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are regarded as a powerful contender to replace Si transistors after Moore's law due to their advantages such as quasi-ballistic transport, high carrier mobility, and low power consumption. In the traditional CNT preparation process, CNTs are deposited on SiO$_{2}$ substrate and then the gate dielectric is deposited. In this structure, pinholes will appear between CNTs and dielectric layer, which will affect the gate-control and increase the gate leakage current. Therefore, in this paper, we designed a new stack-HfO$_{2}$ top-gate (STG) network CNTFET. By filling the pinholes between CNTs and dielectric layer, the contact interface condition is improved, reducing the subthreshold swing and improving $I_{\rm on}/I_{\rm off}$ of the device. Meanwhile, through first-principles calculations, compared with the conventional structure, the interface charge transfer value of the CNT/HfO$_{2}$ interface for STG is about 5 times smaller than that of CNT/SiO$_{2}$ interface. Specifically, the mobility and $SS$, and $I_{\rm on}/I_{\rm off}$ of the STG structure are 130 cm$^{2}$/V$\cdot$s, 156 mV/dec, and 10$^{7}$, respectively. Taking into account the above advantages, the proposed STG structure has reference value for improving the performance of CNTFET.

Keywords: carbon nanotube HfO₂ gate dielectric interface

Received: 17 July 2025
Revised: 09 September 2025
Accepted manuscript online: 15 September 2025

PACS:	61.46.-w	(Structure of nanoscale materials)
	61.05.-a	(Techniques for structure determination)
	68.47.Gh	(Oxide surfaces)
	73.63.-b	(Electronic transport in nanoscale materials and structures)

Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 62188102, 62174125, and 62274130) and the Innovation Fund of Xidian University (Grant No. YJSJ23019).

Corresponding Authors: Yimin Lei, Jiejie Zhu
E-mail: leiym@xidian.edu.cn;jjzhu@mail.xidian.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Bowen Zhang(张博文), Yimin Lei(雷毅敏), Jiejie Zhu(祝杰杰), Weiwei Wang(王巍巍), Yuxiang Wei(魏宇翔), Lingjie Qin(秦灵洁), Mingchen Zhang(张明辰), Jiaxiang Xu(徐佳响), Hong Wang(王宏), Xiaohua Ma(马晓华), and Yue Hao(郝跃) A novel stack-HfO₂ top-gate structure for improving performance of network carbon nanotube transistor 2026 Chin. Phys. B 35 056103

[1] Peng L M, Zhang Z Y and Wang S 2014 Mater. Today 17 433
[2] CaoW, Bu H, Vinet M, Cao M, Takagi S, Hwang S, Ghani T and Banerjee K 2023 Nature 620 501
[3] Rutherglen C, Jain D and Burke P 2009 Nat. Nanotechnology 4 811
[4] Chen B C, Zhang P P, Ding L, Han J, Qiu S, Li Q W, Zhang Z Y and Peng L M 2016 Nano Lett. 16 5120
[5] Zhu X H, Xi M Q, Zhang P P, Li Y, Luo X, Bai L, Chen X X, Peng L M, Cao Y, Li Q L and Liang X L 2025 Sci. Adv. 11 1909
[6] Yin M H, Xu H T, You Y X, Gao M F, Zhang W H, Liu H W, Zhou H H, Wang C, Peng L M and Li Z Q 2024 Nano Res. 17 7557
[7] Yang Y J, Ding L, Han J, Zhang Z Y and Peng L M 2017 ACS Nano 11 4124
[8] Liu L J, Han J, Xu L, Zhou J S, Zhao C Y, Ding S J, Shi H W, Xiao M M, Ding L, Ma Z, Jin C H, Zhang Z Y and Peng L M 2020 Science 368 850
[9] Shi H W, Ding L, Zhong D L, Han J, Liu L J, Xu L, Sun P K, Wang H, Zhou J S, Fang L, Zhang Z Y and Peng L M 2021 Nat. Electron 4 405
[10] Zhang Z, Zhang X G, Huang Z, Chang Y K, Chang H D, Huang S, Liu H G and Sun B 2023 ACS Applied Nano Materials 6 3293
[11] Kumar D, Chaturvedi P, Saho P, Jha P, Chouksey A, Lal M, Rawat J, Tandon R and Chaudhury P 2017 Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 240 1134
[12] Liu L J, Ding L, Zhong D L, Han J, Wang S, Meng Q H, Qiu C G, Zhang X Y, Peng L M and Zhang Z Y 2019 ACS Nano 13 2526
[13] Liu L J, Zhao C Y, Ding L, Zhang Z Y and Peng L M 2019 Nano Res. 13 1875
[14] Brady J G, Way J A, Safron S N, Evensen T H, Gopalan P and Arnold S M 2016 Sci. Adv. 2 e1601240
[15] Ding S J, Liu Y F, Shang Q, Gao B, Yao F F, Wang B, Ma X M, Zhang Z Y and Jin C H 2024 Nano Lett. 24 13631
[16] An R, Li Y J, Tang J S, Gao B, Du Y W, Yao J, Li Y K, Sun W, Zhao H, Li J M, Qin Q, Zhang Q T, Qiu S, Li QW, Li Z C, Qian H andWu H Q 2022 International Electron Devices Meeting, December 3-7, 2022, San Francisco, USA, p. 419
[17] Yoon J, Lee D, Kim C, Lee J, Choi B, Kim D, Lee M, Choi Y and Choi S 2014 Appl. Phys. Lett. 105 212103
[18] Rouhi N, Jain D, Zand K and Burke P J 2011 Adv. Mater. 23 94
[19] Guo P H, Li M, Shao S S, Fang Y X, Chen Z, Guo H X and Zhao J W 2023 Carbon 215 118453
[20] Sun Y F, Lu P, Cao Y, Bai L, Ding L, Han J, Zhang C Y, Zhu M G and Zhang Z Y 2024 Adv. Electron. Mater. 11 2400464
[21] Hou Z F, Liu Y W, Niu G, Sun Y X, Li J, Zhao J Y and Wu S L 2023 J. Appl. Phys. 133 125303
[22] Liu Y F, Ding S J, LiWL, Zhang Z R, Pan Z P, Ze Y M, Gao B, Zhang Y N, Jin C H, Peng L M and Zhang Z Y 2024 ACS Nano 18 19086
[23] Zhao C Y, Zhong D L, Han J, Liu L J, Zhang Z Y and Peng L M 2019 Adv. Funct. Mater. 29 1808574
[24] Xu L, Gao N F, Zhang Z Y and Peng L M 2018 Appl. Phys. Lett. 113 083105
[25] Lin Y X, Cao Y, Ding S J, Zhang P P, Xu L, Liu C C, Hu Q L, Jin C H, Peng L M and Zhang Z Y 2023 Nat. Electron 6 506
[26] Li S, Yin Z L, Li Y, Dong X B, Luo T, Xi M Q, Bai L, Cao X, Liang X L and Cao Y 2025 Carbon 237 120154
[27] Li S M, Chao T, and Gilardi C, et al. 2023 International Electron Devices Meeting, December 9-13, 2023, San Francisco, USA, p. 1
[28] Fan C W, Cheng X H, Xu L, Zhu M G, Ding S J, Jin C H, Xie Y N, Peng L M and Zhang Z Y 2023 Adv. Funct. Mater. 5 e12420
[29] Lin Y X, Liang S B, Xu L, Liu L J, Hu Q L, Fan C W, Liu Y F, Han J, Zhang Z Y and Peng L M 2022 Adv. Funct. Mater. 32 2104539
[30] Yu F G, Tu Z D, Yang S J and Xia Y 2025 ACS Appl. Electron. Mater. 7 7388
[31] Yang D, Hwang K, Kim Y, Kim Y, Moon Y, Han N, Lee S and Kim D 2023 Carbon 203 761
[32] Liu C C, Cao Y, Wang B, Zhang Z X, Lin X, Yang Y J, Jin C H, Peng L M and Zhang Z Y 2022 ACS Nano 16 21482
[33] P. Perdew J, Burke K and Ernzerhof M 1996 Phys. Rev. Lett. 77 3865
[34] Tang Y J, Zhu H P, ZhuMG,Wang C C, Qiu S, Gao J T, Bu J H, Zhang X W, Zhang J, Wu Z P, Liu F Y, Wang L and Li B 2024 Appl. Surf. Sci. 671 160709

[1]	Thermal conductivity of carbon nanotubes using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics combined with a machine learning potential Jia-Hua Liu(刘嘉华), Shuo Cui(崔硕), Feng Guo(郭峰), Yu-Shi Wen(文玉史), Chun-Liang Ji(纪春亮), and Xiao-Chun Wang(王晓春). Chin. Phys. B, 2026, 35(3): 036302.
[2]	Phase change thermal interface materials: From principles to applications and beyond Chenggong Zhao(赵成功), Yifan Li(李一凡), Chen Jiang(蒋晨), Yuanzheng Tang(唐元政), Yan He(何燕), Wei Yu(于伟), and Bingyang Cao(曹炳阳). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(9): 096301.
[3]	Impact of surface passivation on the electrical stability of strained germanium devices Zong-Hu Li(李宗祜), Mao-Lin Wang(王茂粼), Zhen-Zhen Kong(孔真真), Gui-Lei Wang(王桂磊), Yuan Kang(康原), Yong-Qiang Xu(徐永强), Rui Wu(吴睿), Tian-Yue Hao(郝天岳), Ze-Cheng Wei(魏泽成), Bao-Chuan Wang(王保传), Hai-Ou Li(李海欧), Gang Cao(曹刚), and Guo-Ping Guo(郭国平). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(9): 090305.
[4]	Adsorption-modulated dynamical stability of nanobubbles at the solid-liquid interface Guiyuan Huang(黄桂源), Lili Lan(蓝礼礼), Binghai Wen(闻炳海), Li Yang(阳丽), and Yong Yang(杨勇). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(6): 064702.
[5]	Ultrahigh concentration of NV^- centers embedded in the CVD epi-diamond layer near the interface with an HPHT diamond substrate Yuanjie Yang(杨元杰), Shengran Lin(林盛然), Jiaxin Zhao(赵嘉昕), Changfeng Weng(翁长风), Liren Lou(楼立人), Wei Zhu(祝巍), and Guanzhong Wang(王冠中). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(5): 056102.
[6]	Design and preparation of amorphous carbon nanotubes reinforced copper Xiaona Ren(任晓娜), Wentao Wu(吴文涛), Zhipei Chen(陈志培), and Changchun Ge(葛昌纯). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(4): 046107.
[7]	Atomic origin of minor alloying element effect on glass forming ability of metallic glass Shan Zhang(张珊), Qingan Li(李庆安), Yong Yang(杨勇), and Pengfei Guan(管鹏飞). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(3): 036105.
[8]	Disentangling electronic and phononic thermal transport across two-dimensional interfaces Linxin Zhai(翟麟鑫) and Zhiping Xu(徐志平). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(2): 027202.
[9]	Electron doping in FeSe monolayer and multilayer via metal phthalocyanine adsorption: A first-principles investigation Fangyu Yang(杨方玉), Yan-Fang Zhang(张艳芳), Peixuan Li(李佩璇), and Shixuan Du(杜世萱). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(11): 117302.
[10]	Efficient thermal rectification in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube heterostructures Zhibo Xing(邢志博), Yingguang Liu(刘英光), Haochen Liu(刘浩宸), Yahao Wang(王雅浩), Cheng Zhang(张成), and Ning Wu(吴宁). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(11): 116101.
[11]	Mechanical activation of DNA transport across single-walled carbon nanotubes Junjie Gao(高俊杰), Yichao Wu(吴逸超), Siqi Yu(俞斯棋), Xiaoyan Zhou(周晓艳), and Hangjun Lu(陆杭军). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(10): 108701.
[12]	Freestanding La₂CuO₄/La_1.55Sr_0.45CuO₄ heterostructure membranes with high-T_C interface superconductivity Xueshan Cao(曹雪珊), Chuanyu Shi(史传宇), Yanzhi Wang(王彦智), Meng Zhang(张蒙), Jirong Sun(孙继荣), and Yanwu Xie(谢燕武). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(10): 107301.
[13]	Interfacial thermal resistance in amorphous Mo/Si structures: A molecular dynamics study Weiwu Miao(苗未午), Hongyu He(贺虹羽), Yi Tao(陶毅), Qiong Wu(吴琼), Chao Wu(吴超), and Chenhan Liu(刘晨晗). Chin. Phys. B, 2025, 34(10): 106501.
[14]	Dendritic tip selection during solidification of alloys: Insights from phase-field simulations Qingjie Zhang(张清杰), Hui Xing(邢辉), Lingjie Wang(王灵杰), and Wei Zhai(翟薇). Chin. Phys. B, 2024, 33(9): 096103.
[15]	Spin wave resonance frequency in bilayer ferromagnetic films with the biquadratic exchange interaction Xiaojie Zhang(张晓洁), Yuting Wang(王雨汀), Yanqiu Chang(常艳秋), Huan Wang(王焕), Jianhong Rong(荣建红), and Guohong Yun(云国宏). Chin. Phys. B, 2024, 33(9): 097601.

No Suggested Reading articles found!

Viewed

Full text

Abstract

Cited

Metrics
Related Articles

A novel stack-HfO2 top-gate structure for improving performance of network carbon nanotube transistor

Cite this article:

Online attention

A novel stack-HfO₂ top-gate structure for improving performance of network carbon nanotube transistor