Korean researchers develop oxygen-based method to steer 2D semiconductor crystal growth
Scientists have shown that an oxygen-driven etching flux can confine 2D semiconductor nucleation to the centre of patterned areas, a step toward commercial chips by 2030.
Researchers at KAIST together with the South Korean startup TDS Innovation have published a method called etching-flux-mediated single-centred nucleation (EF-SCN) that directs the growth of two-dimensional semiconductor crystals to the centre of each patterned region. The process uses oxygen released from an oxide barrier to create a lateral etching flux that prevents nucleation elsewhere, eliminating random crystal seeds that cause grain boundaries and degrade performance.
In trials on a two-centimetre substrate, the technique yielded single crystals at 397 of 400 sites, a 99.3% success rate, and enabled the fabrication of field-effect transistors with charge-carrier mobility surpassing previous MoS₂ devices. Co-author Kibum Kang, also co-CEO of TDS Innovation, highlighted the potential to stack 2D devices on silicon chips, shortening the distance between logic and memory. The company aims to advance the process toward commercial chip production by 2030, driven by rising AI and robotics demand.
Why it matters
Precise control of 2D semiconductor growth could lead to faster, more efficient chips for future computing.
In this story
