Controllable electrical contact characteristics of graphene/Ga2X3 (X = S, Se) ferroelectric heterojunctions

Abstract

Reducing the interface barrier between metals and semiconductors is crucial for designing high-performance optoelectronic devices based on van der Waals heterojunctions (HJs). This study proposes four models of HJs composed of graphene (GR) and Ga2X3 (X = S, Se) and systematically investigates their interface electronic properties, along with strain engineering and electric field effects. The results indicated that exploiting the interface dipole-induced potential step allows modulation of the Schottky barrier height (SBH) and contact type of the HJs by altering the contact interfaces. In the BGR/Ga2S3 HJs (BGR means GR positioned at the bottom of Ga2X3), only a small positive (negative) electric field is required to realize the transition from n-type Schottky to p-type Schottky (Ohmic) contacts. Also, strain engineering provides additional means for flexible and controllable contact types, facilitating the design of reversible logic circuits. It indicates the physical insights and strategic interventions of GR/Ga2X3 HJs tunable SBH and offers theoretical guidance for the design of two-dimensional ferroelectric nanodevices with high-quality electrical contact interfaces.