InN: Breaking the limits of solid-state electronics

Abstract

Further progress of information technologies is hampered by the limited operational speed and frequency of contemporary electronic devices. Consequently, there is an intense quest for materials with the highest electron velocity. Over a decade, InN has been predicted to be among the top candidates. However, due to technological constrains of InN growth, this theoretical prediction has not been validated yet. In the present paper, we demonstrate state-of-the-art InN materials with an electron drift velocity of about 1 × 108 cm s−1 at an electric field of 48 kV cm−1. This is the highest steady-state electron velocity ever measured in any solid-state device. Moreover, our experimental value outperforms theoretical predictions by a factor of two, suggesting a need for revised understanding of InN fundamental properties. Moreover, the extracted InN electron velocity is about two times higher compared to the main competitors, such as InAs or graphene, introducing InN as the best far-reaching candidate for the next-generation ultra-fast electronics. We propose that implementation of InN-channel transistors may provide switching speeds deeply in the THz frequency range. If this technology is fully developed, it will help to erase the current THz frequency gap between the electronic and optical devices.