Peter Satterthwaite, a PhD Candidate in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science at MIT, delivered the Nano Explorations talk on December 13, 2022.
Realizing the full potential of electronic devices based on two-dimensional (2D) materials requires the fabrication of pristine interfaces between 2D and bulk materials. By creating interfaces held together by the universal van der Waals force, heterostructures of diverse materials can be realized, opening new functionalities and improved performance. Though universal, the van der Waals force is weak and cannot be tuned independently of the properties of the constituent materials, meaning the direct van der Waals integration of arbitrary materials is not possible. Conventional fabrication approaches address this through transfer with polymers/solvents, and device integration through damaging post-transfer processing, elements that can lead to device performance limited by processing artifacts rather than fundamental materials properties.
This talk presents an alternative fabrication approach that allows for direct integration of 2D materials into van der Waals devices in a pristine, dry, and scalable manner. This single-step material-to-device integration is achieved by decoupling the forces inducing the 2D material transfer from the van der Waals forces at the interface of interest. Using this adhesive matrix transfer approach, Satterthwaite presents conventionally-forbidden van der Waals integration of diverse 2D (MoS2, WSe2, GaS, and graphene) and bulk (gold, SiO2, Al2O3) materials. He further highlights the prospects of this approach for direct 2D material integration into pristine electronic devices through an example of MoS2 transistors demonstrated on both rigid and flexible substrates.
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Nano Explorations is a virtual seminar series powered by MIT.nano that features presentations by MIT students and postdocs on their work in nanoscience, nanotechnology, and other advanced research fields. The series was launched as a way to keep our nano community connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presentations take place once a month and are open to any interested viewers.
Read more about past and upcoming Nano Explorations at mitnano.mit.edu/nano-explorations.
