Monolayer WS2 Sub-5 nm Transistor for Future Technology Nodes: A Theoretical Study

Motivated by realizing the excellent device performance of the 10 nm channel-length MoS2 field-effect transistors [ Nature Electronics 2024, 7, 545–556], we explore the device performance limit of the monolayer (ML) WS2 transistors in the sub-5 nm region through ab initio quantum transport simulations. We find that both the optimized n- and p-type ML WS2 metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) can satisfy the key performance metrics for high-performance applications of the International Technology Roadmap (ITRS) when the gate length is reduced to 3 nm. In addition, the performance of both the n- and p-type ML WS2 MOSFETs is better than that of the MoS2 counterparts for high-performance applications. Notably, at a gate length of 5 nm, the key performance metrics of high-performance and low-power ML WS2 devices show excellent n–p symmetry, indicating their potential for complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) applications. Our work indicates that the ML WS2 is a promising candidate as a channel material for prolonging Moore’s law in the future.