Temperature dependent carrier transport in few-layered MoS2: from hopping to band transport

Understanding the carrier transport mechanisms is critical for electronic devices based on 2D semiconductors. Here, using a two-terminal device configuration, we show that the carrier transport behaviours in chemical vapour deposited few-layer MoS2 transition from resonant tunnelling to hopping, and eventually to band transport as the temperature increases from 5 K to 370 K. Specifically, the transport in the channel is dominated by resonant tunnelling when T < 30 K is reflected in the temperature-independent conductance. At 50 K < T < 110 K, the channel conductance exhibits a dependence of exp(T (1/2)), a signature of Efros-Shklovskii type variable range hopping (VRH). At 110 K < T < 160 K, carrier transport behaves in a transition region with potential attribution to Mott-type VRH. At 160 K < T < 210 K, the nearest neighbour hopping mechanism is confirmed by the linear dependence from the resistance curve derivative analysis. For VRH, the localization length, hopping distance and energy, Coulomb gap energy and density of states are extracted. At T > 210 K, the carrier transport is dominated by thermally activated band transport based on AC conductance and mobility analysis. These findings are significant for revealing the material properties for future 2D semiconductor device applications.

Automated summary

This study investigates the carrier transport mechanisms in chemical vapor deposited few-layer MoS2 at different temperatures using a two-terminal device configuration. The results reveal a transition in transport behavior from resonant tunneling to hopping, and eventually to band transport as the temperature increases. These findings are significant for understanding the material properties of future 2D semiconductor devices.