A High-Hole Mobility Tellurium Transistor With Electron-Donating Passivation Layer for Scalable, High-Throughput Electronics

Abstract

The demand for high-performance semiconductors that can be processed layer-by-layer at low temperatures is rapidly growing to overcome scaling limits in future electronics. Unlike well-developed n-type materials, achieving high-performance p-type counterparts remains challenging. Tellurium (Te) is a promising candidate due to its high intrinsic Hall mobility and compatibility with scalable fabrication. However, its thickness-dependent trade-off between mobility and switching hinders use as a channel layer. Here, we present a remote doping strategy for Te thin-film transistors (TFTs) by employing a vapor-phase deposited, electron-donating polymeric passivation layer that induces an n-doping effect in Te. The passivation layer enables near-ideal transfer characteristics with a threshold voltage close to 0 V and an on/off current ratio >104. It also enlarges the electron injection barrier, effectively suppressing off-current without compromising charge transport. As a result, Te TFTs exhibit record-high hole mobility (∼178 cm2 V−1 s−1) with enhanced switching. A 15 × 9 Te TFT array further demonstrates 100% yield and excellent wafer-scale uniformity. Leveraging low-temperature, scalable fabrication, we realized intrinsically flexible Te TFTs, a unipolar inverter with high voltage gain (∼173 V/V), and a Te–IGZO CMOS inverter with low static power. This doping strategy represents a significant step toward high-performance p-type semiconductors.