Device performance simulations of multilayer black phosphorus tunneling transistors

We report a theoretical investigation of ballistic transport in multilayer black phosphorus (BP) tunneling transistors (TFETs) with HfO2 as the gate oxide. First-principles calculations show that monolayer BP can be preserved well on HfO2 (111) surface. For a better device performance, the optimum layer and transport direction at different channel lengths are investigated. It is shown that BP TFETs have larger drain current in the armchair direction (AD) than in the zigzag direction, and the current difference can be several orders of magnitude. On-state current can be enhanced in the BP TFETs using thicker BP film, while the minimal leakage current is increased at the same time. To reduce the leakage current and subthreshold swing in the multilayer BP TFETs, lower source/drain doping concentration and smaller drain voltage should be applied. Compared to monolayer MoS2, MoSe2, and MoTe2 TFETs monolayer BP TFETs in AD can reach larger on-state current at the same Ion/Ioff ratio.