<i>P</i> - and <i>N</i> -type InAs nanocrystals with innately controlled semiconductor polarity

Abstract

InAs semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit intriguing electrical/optoelectronic properties suitable for next-generation electronic devices. Although there is a need for both <i>n</i>- and <i>p</i>-type semiconductors in such devices, InAs NCs typically exhibit only <i>n</i>-type characteristics. Here, we report InAs NCs with controlled semiconductor polarity. Both <i>p</i>- and <i>n</i>-type InAs NCs can be achieved from the same indium chloride and aminoarsine precursors but by using two different reducing agents, diethylzinc for <i>p</i>-type and diisobutylaluminum hydride for <i>n</i>-type NCs, respectively. This is the first instance of semiconductor polarity control achieved at the synthesis level for InAs NCs and the entire semiconductor nanocrystal systems. Comparable field-effective mobilities for holes (3.3 × 10^-3 cm²/V·s) and electrons (3.9 × 10^-3 cm²/V·s) are achieved from the respective NC films. The mobility values allow the successful fabrication of complementary logic circuits, including NOT, NOR, and NAND comprising photopatterned <i>p</i>- and <i>n</i>-channels based on InAs NCs.