The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) announced on August 19 a significant breakthrough in semiconductor technology with the development of a p-type selenium-tellurium (Se-Te) alloy transistor. This new p-type semiconductor material can be deposited at room temperature using a tellurium-based p-type semiconductor material, marking a notable advancement in the field.
The research team succeeded in developing this p-type tellurium-selenium semiconductor by adding selenium to tellurium, depositing an amorphous thin film at room temperature, and then heat-treating it. This innovative approach allows for the control of the “threshold voltage” by adjusting the thickness of the tellurium when placed on an n-type oxide semiconductor thin film. The threshold voltage is the voltage at which the state changes from no current flow to current flow.
Transistors, which are fundamental components in modern electronics, are divided into n-type and p-type semiconductors. N-type semiconductors use free electrons with negative charge as carriers, while p-type semiconductors use holes as carriers. The widely used material in the display field is an n-type oxide semiconductor with indium gallium zinc (IGZ) as an impurity. However, the demand for p-type oxide semiconductors has increased in high-resolution displays requiring a refresh rate of 240 Hertz (Hz) or higher. P-type oxide semiconductors generally have poorer electrical properties than n-type oxide semiconductors and are more expensive to manufacture.
The newly developed transistor is also expected to address the shortcomings of the stacking process used in the production of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), where companies like SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics are competing. To overcome the limitations of through-silicon vias (TSVs), a monolithic 3D method, which involves stacking materials on a single wafer instead of multiple wafers, is emerging. The tellurium-based p-n junction transistor developed by ETRI was created using this monolithic 3D method.
An ETRI representative explained, “The research results can be widely applied not only to displays such as OLED TVs and extended reality (XR) devices but also to ultra-low power semiconductor circuit research.” This statement highlights the broad potential applications of the new technology, which could revolutionize various aspects of modern electronics.
The research findings were published consecutively in April and June in a journal issued by the American Chemical Society (ACS), underscoring the scientific community’s recognition of the significance of this development.