Major Research Instrumentation: Development of Epitaxial Growth System for Few Layer Semiconductors

非技术：半导体技术今天被用于许多应用，包括计算、通信、能量转换和传感。目前使用的大多数半导体器件都是由近乎完美的刚性三维晶体固体制成的。然而，最近对新一代分层二维（2D）材料的研究引起了科学和技术的极大兴趣。这些材料由单原子或分子二维层组成，可以放置在任意基板上，如柔性塑料或透明玻璃，同时提供与更昂贵的电子材料相当的性能。二维半导体可以通过实现低成本、柔性和透明的电子和光电子技术，对技术产生重大影响。它们还可以实现低功耗计算和生物和化学传感器。该项目将为这些二维半导体材料的合成开发独特的设备和技术。所开发的材料合成技术将有助于电子工业和设备制造商。该项目将帮助一些研究生和研究人员了解开发新的生长系统的细节，原位表征的新工具，以及二维材料的广泛应用和科学。研究团队将组织一年一度的二维层状材料外延研讨会，邀请来自其他大学的研究人员分享他们在二维半导体生长系统开发方面的经验，并分享在该MRI奖项下开发的新工具的信息。技术：当今二维半导体研究领域的主要挑战之一是电子级材料的合成。该活动通过尝试开发用于合成二维层状材料的专用分子束外延生长系统，直接解决了最重要的挑战。由于2D材料所需的生长和表征方法与3D晶体的生长和表征方法有很大不同，因此该系统将具有一套独特的合成和表征能力。MBE系统将专门开发，以帮助理解和控制二维金属-二硫族化物外延过程的复杂化学和物理。研究团队将在早期工作的基础上，专注于用MBE合成二维（单层）材料和复杂异质结构。与仪器制造商合作，将开发各种源材料和源类型，以开发一套广泛的2D层状半导体生长技术解决方案。该项目将研究生长过程中的现场实时监测和反馈，以实现任意单层和异质结构的自动生长。最终目标是开发一种强大的，可重复的基于mbe的增长方法，适用于进一步的研究（电子/光学特性和设备开发），以及未来的商业化。

Non-technical: Semiconductor technology today is used for many applications including computation, communication, energy conversion, and sensing. Most semiconductor devices used today are built from near-perfect rigid 3-dimensional crystalline solids. However, recent work on a new generation of layered 2-dimensional (2D) materials has generated great scientific and technological interest. These materials consist of single atomic or molecular 2D layers that can be placed on arbitrary substrates such as flexible plastics, or transparent glass while offering performance that is comparable to more expensive electronic materials. 2D semiconductors could have significant impact on technology by enabling low cost flexible and transparent electronics and optoelectronics. They could also enable lower power computation and biological and chemical sensors. This project will enable the development of unique equipment and techniques for synthesis of these 2D semiconductor materials. The material synthesis techniques developed would help the electronics industry as well as equipment manufacturers. The project will help to educate several graduate students and researchers on the details of developing a new growth system, new tools for in situ characterization, and the broad applications and science of 2D materials. The research team will organize annual workshops on 2D layered material epitaxy where researchers from other universities will be invited to share their experiences on development of growth systems for 2D semiconductors, and also share information about the new tools developed under this MRI award.Technical: One of the main challenges in the area of 2D semiconductor research today is the synthesis of electronic grade material. This activity directly addresses the most important challenge by attempting to develop a dedicated molecular beam epitaxial growth system for the synthesis of 2D layered materials. Since the growth and characterization methods needed for 2D materials are quite different from those of 3D crystals, this system will be unique in having a suite of synthesis and characterization capabilities. The MBE system will be specifically developed to help understand and control the complex chemistry and physics of the 2D metal-dichalcogenide epitaxy process. The research team will build upon early work and focus on the synthesis of 2D (monolayer) materials and complex heterostructures by MBE. In collaboration with an instrument manufacturer, a variety of source materials and source types to develop a broad set of technology solutions for growth of 2D layered semiconductors will be developed. The project will investigate in situ real time monitoring and feedback during growth, to enable automatic growth of arbitrary single layers and heterostructures. The ultimate aim is to develop a robust, reproducible MBE-based growth methodology appropriate for further research (electronic/optical properties and device development), as well as future commercialization.