Effect of High-κ Dielectric Layer on 1/f Noise Behavior in Graphene Field-Effect Transistors

We report the 1/f noise characteristics at low frequency in graphene field-effect transistors that utilized a high-kappa dielectric tantalum oxide encapsulated layer (a few nanometer thick) placed by atomic layer deposition on Si3N4. A low noise level of similar to 2.2 x 10(-10) Hz(-1) has been obtained at f = 10 Hz. The origin and physical mechanism of the noise can be interpreted by the McWhorter context, where fluctuations in the carrier number contribute dominantly to the low-frequency noise. Optimizing fabrication processes reduced the number of charged impurities in the graphene field-effect transistors. The study has provided insights into the underlying physical mechanisms of the noise at low frequency for reducing the noise in graphene-based devices.