Emerging Device Applications for Semiconducting Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

TLDR

Advances in exfoliation and synthesis have produced atomically thin semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenide films with direct visible-band gaps, positioning them for digital electronics and optoelectronics and prompting progress in device performance and physical understanding. This review examines the architecture, operating principles, and physics of electronic and optoelectronic devices built from ultrathin transition metal dichalcogenides. We analyze device architectures, operating principles, and underlying physics of ultrathin transition metal dichalcogenide electronic and optoelectronic devices. Critical assessment and comparison with competing technologies reveal the merits and shortcomings of these materials, offering a roadmap for future development.

Abstract

With advances in exfoliation and synthetic techniques, atomically thin films of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides have recently been isolated and characterized. Their two-dimensional structure, coupled with a direct band gap in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, suggests suitability for digital electronics and optoelectronics. Toward that end, several classes of high-performance devices have been reported along with significant progress in understanding their physical properties. Here, we present a review of the architecture, operating principles, and physics of electronic and optoelectronic devices based on ultrathin transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors. By critically assessing and comparing the performance of these devices with competing technologies, the merits and shortcomings of this emerging class of electronic materials are identified, thereby providing a roadmap for future development.