Epitaxy of wafer-scale single-crystal MoS2 monolayer via buffer layer control

Lu Li; Qinqin Wang; Fanfan Wu; Qiaoling Xu; Jinpeng Tian; Zhiheng Huang; Qinghe Wang; Xuan Zhao; Qinghua Zhang; Qinkai Fan; Xiuzhen Li; Yalin Peng; Yangkun Zhang; Kunshan Ji; Aomiao Zhi; Huacong Sun; Mingtong Zhu; Jundong Zhu; Nianpeng Lu; Ying Lu; Shuopei Wang; Xuedong Bai; Yang Xu; Wei Yang; Na Li; Dongxia Shi; Lede Xian; Kaihui Liu; Luojun Du; Guangyu Zhang

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-46170-6

Epitaxy of wafer-scale single-crystal MoS₂ monolayer via buffer layer control

Nat Commun. 2024 Feb 28;15(1):1825. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46170-6.

Authors

Lu Li^{1

2}, Qinqin Wang^{1

2}, Fanfan Wu^{1

2}, Qiaoling Xu^{3

4}, Jinpeng Tian^{1

2}, Zhiheng Huang^{1

2}, Qinghe Wang⁵, Xuan Zhao^{1

2}, Qinghua Zhang^{1

2}, Qinkai Fan^{1

2}, Xiuzhen Li^{1

2}, Yalin Peng^{1

2}, Yangkun Zhang^{1

2}, Kunshan Ji^{1

2}, Aomiao Zhi^{1

2}, Huacong Sun^{1

2}, Mingtong Zhu^{1

2}, Jundong Zhu^{1

2}, Nianpeng Lu^{1

2

3}, Ying Lu^{1

2}, Shuopei Wang³, Xuedong Bai^{1

2

3}, Yang Xu^{1

2}, Wei Yang^{1

2}, Na Li³, Dongxia Shi^{1

2

3}, Lede Xian³, Kaihui Liu⁵, Luojun Du^{6

7}, Guangyu Zhang^{8

9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
² School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
³ Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, 523808, Guangdong, China.
⁴ College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Center for Computational Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, 610068, China.
⁵ Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter and School of Physics, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China.
⁶ Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China. luojun.du@iphy.ac.cn.
⁷ School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China. luojun.du@iphy.ac.cn.
⁸ Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China. gyzhang@iphy.ac.cn.
⁹ School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China. gyzhang@iphy.ac.cn.
¹⁰ Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, 523808, Guangdong, China. gyzhang@iphy.ac.cn.

Abstract

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), an emergent two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor, holds great promise for transcending the fundamental limits of silicon electronics and continue the downscaling of field-effect transistors. To realize its full potential and high-end applications, controlled synthesis of wafer-scale monolayer MoS₂ single crystals on general commercial substrates is highly desired yet challenging. Here, we demonstrate the successful epitaxial growth of 2-inch single-crystal MoS₂ monolayers on industry-compatible substrates of c-plane sapphire by engineering the formation of a specific interfacial reconstructed layer through the S/MoO₃ precursor ratio control. The unidirectional alignment and seamless stitching of MoS₂ domains across the entire wafer are demonstrated through cross-dimensional characterizations ranging from atomic- to centimeter-scale. The epitaxial monolayer MoS₂ single crystal shows good wafer-scale uniformity and state-of-the-art quality, as evidenced from the ~100% phonon circular dichroism, exciton valley polarization of ~70%, room-temperature mobility of ~140 cm²v^-1s^-1, and on/off ratio of ~10⁹. Our work provides a simple strategy to produce wafer-scale single-crystal 2D semiconductors on commercial insulator substrates, paving the way towards the further extension of Moore's law and industrial applications of 2D electronic circuits.