Heteroepitaxial vertical perovskite hot-electron transistors down to the monolayer limit

Two-dimensional heterostructures combined with vertical geometries are candidates to probe and utilize the physical properties of atomically-thin materials. The vertical configuration enables a unique form of hot-carrier spectroscopy as well as atomic-scale devices. Here, we present the room-temperature evolution of heteroepitaxial perovskite hot-electron transistors using a SrRuO3 base down to the monolayer limit (∼4 A). As a fundamental electronic probe, we observe an abrupt transition in the hot-electron mean free path as a function of base thickness, coinciding with the thickness-dependent resistive transition. As a path towards devices, we demonstrate the integrated synthesis of perovskite one-dimensional electrical edge contacts using water-soluble and growth-compatible Sr3Al2O6 hard masks. Edge-contacted monolayer-base transistors exhibit on/off ratios reaching ∼108, complete electrostatic screening by the base manifesting pure hot-electron injection, and excellent scaling of the output current density with device dimensions. These results open new avenues for incorporating emergent phenomena at oxide interfaces and in heterostructures. Two-dimensional heterostructures combined with vertical geometries trigger superior functionalities in fundamental studies and applications. Here, the authors report vertical perovskite hot-electron transistors integrated with perovskite one-dimensional edge contacts down to the monolayer limit.