Remote epitaxy for mismatched materials opens research pathways

Press/Media: STE Highlight

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Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy image of ZnO/MoS2/ZnO heterostructure (left); cathodoluminescence spectrum of a single ZnO/MoS2/ZnO (right).

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In the preparation of high-quality materials architecture, overcoming material compatibility challenges utilizing remote epitaxy — a technology for producing single-crystalline, free-standing thin films and structures — has been successful only with graphene. Less commonly studied, remote epitaxy for non-graphene, two-dimensional materials opens a pathway to the discovery of additional platforms for quantum materials research and novel optoelectronic devices. In recent research described in the journal ACS Nano, a team including researchers from the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies and Los Alamos National Laboratory demonstrated that high-quality semiconductor nanostructures can be grown on an atomically thin molybdenum disulfide layer while maintaining structural integrity. The team also demonstrated that the atomically thin nanomaterials can be controlled in the new structures.

Epitaxy is an important technique in the preparation of high-quality semiconductor materials for device architectures and scientific research platforms. However, the atomically thin materials-based epitaxy has been limited to manufacturing because graphene, an atomically thin carbon layer, had been the only suitable material. The study demonstrated for the first time that epitaxy of conventional semiconductors is also available on other atomically thin materials — in this case, the conventional semiconductor zinc oxide on molybdenum disulfide. The accomplishment opens up a novel way to integrate different (incommensurate) materials in one architecture to deliver functionalities.

The functionality demonstrated in the study is enhanced light-matter interaction in the fabricated structure. The new epitaxial technique successfully fabricated a whispering-gallery-mode cavity composed of a single crystalline zinc oxide nanorod and monolayer molybdenum sulfide without structural defects. Light confinement in the cavity, showing enhanced luminescence of molybdenum sulfide and multimodal emission, was successfully observed. Calculations from first principles and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy revealed that the novel heterostructure is formed by unconventional substrate-overlayer interaction; the heterostructure also exhibited lattice transparency. The team’s findings open up remote epitaxy applications beyond basic science to include advanced manufacturing possibilities.

Funding and Mission

This research was supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development program. The work supports the Energy Security mission area and the Materials for the Future capability pillar.

Reference

“Fabrication of a Microcavity Prepared by Remote Epitaxy over Monolayer Molybdenum Disulfide,” ACS Nano 16, 2399-2406 (2022); DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c08779. Authors: Jinkyoung Yoo, Yeonhoo Kim, John Watt (Center for Integrated Technologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory); Towfiq Ahmed (Los Alamos National Laboratory); Xueden Ma (Argonne National Laboratory); Suhyun Kim, Kibum Kang (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology); Ting S. Luk (Center for Integrated Technologies, Sandia National Laboratory); Young Joon Hong (Sejung University).

Technical contact: Jinkyoung Yoo

PeriodSep 29 2022

Media coverage

1

Media coverage

  • TitleRemote epitaxy for mismatched materials opens research pathways
    Date09/29/22
    PersonsJinkyoung Yoo, Yeonhoo Kim, John Daniel Watt, Towfiq Ahmed, Xueden Ma, Suhyun Kim, Kibum Kang, Ting S. Luk, Young Joon Hong, Yeonhoo Kim, Towfiq Ahmed, Xueden Ma, Suhyun Kim, Kibum Kang, Ting S. Luk, Young Joon Hong

Media Type

  • STE Highlight

Keywords

  • LAUR-22-31455

STE Mission

  • Energy Security

STE Pillar

  • Materials for the Future

STE Publication Year

  • 2022