Chemical vapor deposition methods proliferate in producing 2D transition metal dichalcogenides

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) show promise for advanced functional electronic and optoelectronic devices beyond conventional silicon-based applications. Most methods for creating these materials, however, have experienced difficulties with scaling their processes to produce large-area, high-quality 2D TMDs with well-defined compositions and architectures. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is one approach with strong evidence of overcoming such challenges.

Zhao et al. have provided a review to capture the rapid growth of CVD methods for producing TMDs. Taking stock of the research landscape, the group’s paper highlights advances and challenges ahead for the field as it continues to proliferate with new findings.

“Our field is now at a critical juncture where a comprehensive, critical overview is urgently needed to consolidate knowledge, identify unifying principles, and chart future directions,” said author Lili Zhang. “Recent breakthroughs in wafer-scale single crystals, room-temperature ferromagnetism in doped monolayers, and moiré superlattices demonstrate that the field is transitioning from fundamental discovery to application-oriented engineering.”

One development involves the controlled synthesis of twisted 2D heterostructures. Two monolayers stacked at specific twist angles have recently demonstrated unconventional superconductivity, fractional quantum anomalous Hall effects, and strongly correlated electronic states — a first for 2D structures.

Advances in wafer-scale single-crystal growth provide unidirectional domain alignment over wafers 2 inches or larger, a critical step toward industrial adoption.

Researchers in the field continue to work toward reducing defect densities from 1013 per square centimeter to one-hundredth that density. Decreasing these densities allows phonon-limited mobility, achieving wafer-scale uniformity in doping and layer number, and developing low-temperature growth below 400 C compatible with back-end semiconductor processing lines.

Beyond this review, the group looks to focus on site-selective doping and defect-engineered patterning of 2D TMDs, inspired by prior dislocation-catalyzed growth and laser-patterning strategies.

Source: “Achieving full spectrum of atomically thin 2D TMDs by CVD: From monolayers to alloys, heterostructures, and superlattices,” by Yiqun Zhao, Xiangning Quan, Junwei Zhang, Jun Wang, Lili Zhang, Mingsu Si, Cheng Yan, Zhe Wang, and Yong Peng, Applied Physics Reviews (2026). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0333564 .