Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials could enable the development of smaller yet highly performing electronic components, thus contributing to the advancement of a variety of devices. While significant strides have been made in the synthesis of 2D semiconductors with advanced electronic properties, their clean transfer onto substrates and reliable integration in real devices has so far proved challenging.

Researchers at Peking University, the Beijing Graphene Institute and other institutes in China have recently developed a new method to integrate 2D semiconductors with dielectric materials, which are insulating materials that help control the flow of electric charge in devices. Their approach, outlined in a paper published in Nature Electronics, entails the epitaxial growth of an ultra-thin dielectric film on a graphene-covered copper surface, which subsequently enables its transfer onto various substrates with minimal defects.

“The paper emerged from recognizing persistent challenges in integrating two-dimensional materials—such as graphene—into microelectronic devices,” Zhongfan Liu, Li Lin, and Yanfeng Zhang, corresponding authors of the paper, told Tech Xplore.