Approaching the quantum limit of contact resistance in van der Waals layered semiconductors

The field-effect transistor (FET) is a cornerstone of modern electronics, pivotal in the development of compact and efficient integrated microprocessors and memory storage devices capable of low-power operation. At the heart of a FET is a semiconductor channel, typically made of materials such as silicon, which links the source to the drain. Positioned directly beneath an insulator that overlays the gate, this channel's conductivity or mobility, which measures the ease of current flow, is controlled by the electric field resulting from the voltage applied to the gate. Consequently, this setup allows the gate voltage to modulate the current, effectively turning it on and off.