Gate-tunable negative differential resistance in multifunctional van der Waals heterostructure
Journal article, 2026
Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors have emerged as exciting candidates for the development of low-power and multifunctional computing applications, thanks to their qualities such as layer-dependent band gap tunability, high carrier mobility, and excellent electrostatic control. Here, we explore a pair of 2D semiconductors with nearly broken-gap (Type-III-like) band alignment and demonstrate a highly gate-tunable p-MoTe2 /n-SnS2 heterojunction with multifunctional behavior. Employing a dual-gated asymmetric device geometry, we unveil its functionality as both a forward and backward rectifying device. Moreover, we observe a highly gate-tunable negative differential resistance (NDR), with a gate-coupling efficiency of η ≃ 0.5 and a peak-to-valley ratio of ∼ 3 down to 150 K. By employing density functional theory, we determine that the observed NDR is dominated by valence band-to-valence band tunneling, while additional interband tunneling contributions arise at higher bias. The combination of tunneling driven transport and gate controllability of NDR opens the pathway for realizing gate-tunable 2D material-based neuromorphic and energy-efficient electronics.
Author
Richa Mitra
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Device Physics
Konstantina Iordanidou
SINTEF
Chalmers, Physics, Condensed Matter and Materials Theory
Naveen Shetty
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Device Physics
Anamul Md Hoque
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Device Physics
Anushree Datta
University Paris-Saclay
Laboratoire Matériaux et Phénomènes Quantiques
Alexei Kalaboukhov
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Device Physics
Julia Wiktor
Chalmers, Physics, Condensed Matter and Materials Theory
Sergey Kubatkin
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Device Physics
Saroj Prasad Dash
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Device Physics
S. Lara-Avila
National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
Scientific Reports
2045-2322 (ISSN) 20452322 (eISSN)
Vol. 16 1 26526Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering
Condensed Matter Physics
DOI
10.1038/s41598-026-68365-1