Metallic Transport in Chemical Vapor Deposition ZrTe3 Nanoribbons on a SiO2 Wafer Substrate

We report on the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of quasi-one-dimensional zirconium tritelluride (ZrTe3) at temperatures below 600 degrees C and process times under an hour, which results in a material on a SiO2/Si wafer substrate that offers electrical conductivity comparable to the bulk. This study combines tailored CVD processing using a tube-in-a-tube technique with characterization by optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy validates the composition and offers atomic contrast. Electrical transport measurements employ an yttrium-gold stack to achieve good adhesion and low contact resistance. A positive temperature coefficient is observed, as expected for a metallic material. The obtained results are important for the proposed applications of quasi-one-dimensional van der Waals materials in the next-generation electronic devices.

Automated summary

This study presents the growth of quasi-one-dimensional zirconium tritelluride using CVD technique at low temperatures and short processing times. The material shows comparable electrical conductivity to bulk and exhibits a positive temperature coefficient. Various characterization techniques were employed to validate the composition and electrical properties of the material.