Large-area SnSe2/GaN heterojunction diodes grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract

We report on the synthesis and properties of wafer-scale two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) n-SnSe2/n-GaN(0001) heterojunctions. The hexagonal crystal structure of crystalline SnSe2 grown by molecular beam epitaxy was confirmed via in-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction and off-axis X-ray diffraction. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements of SnSe2/GaN diodes exhibited 9 orders of magnitude rectification, and the SnSe2/GaN heterojunction barrier height was estimated to be 1 eV using capacitance-voltage measurements and internal photoemission measurements. Vertical electronic transport analyzed using temperature-dependent I-V measurements indicates thermionic field emission transport across the junction. This work demonstrates the potential of epitaxial growth of large area high quality 2D crystals on 3D bulk semiconductors for device applications involving carrier injection across 2D/3D heterojunctions.