Contemporary Challenges in van der Waals 2D Semiconductors

van der Waals (vdW) layered semiconductors have emerged as a unique class of quantum materials distinguished from their bulk counterparts by reduced dielectric screening, strong Coulomb interactions, large exciton binding energies, strong spin-orbit coupling, and pronounced thickness-dependent band structures. These fundamental attributes have enabled the exploration of exotic many-body physics and a broad spectrum of device applications, ranging from field-effect transistors and ferroelectric switches to optoelectronics, magnetic semiconductors, neuromorphic computing, and energy harvesting systems. Despite remarkable advances, critical challenges remain in the controlled synthesis of high-quality crystals, formation of low-resistance contacts, integration of stable and scalable gate dielectrics, and reliable device performance at the wafer scale. In this mega-review, we provide a comprehensive overview of contemporary challenges and future opportunities in vdW-layered semiconductors, structured across nine themes: growth and heterostructures of transition metal dichalcogenides, Ohmic contacts, emerging gate dielectrics, high-performance low-power field-effect transistors (FETs), diluted magnetic semiconductors, plasmonics and exciton propagation, hot-carrier solar cells, bioinspired neuromorphic computing, and electrocatalytic/photocatalytic energy conversion. By consolidating fundamental insights and device-level perspectives, this review aims to chart a roadmap for advancing vdW semiconductors from laboratory-scale discoveries to transformative technologies in electronics, optoelectronics, spintronics, and sustainable energy systems.

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Publication Details

Journal
ACS Nano
Published
2026-01-19
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c18189
Citations
1
Primary Topic
2D Materials and Applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
16.08
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article

Contemporary Challenges in van der Waals 2D Semiconductors

Taemin Lee, Kailang Liu, Kamal Kumar Paul, Tianyou Zhai et al.
1 citations
ACS Nano
2D Materials and Applications
16.08
article

Contemporary Challenges in van der Waals 2D Semiconductors

Taemin Lee, Kailang Liu, Kamal Kumar Paul, Tianyou Zhai, Mark C. Hersam, Debottam Daw, Qinke Wu, Ashok Mondal, Dinh Loc Duong⧫, Naoki Higashitarumizu, Lan-Anh Thi Nguyen, Ermin Malić, X Liu, Hyeongwoo Lee, Yeonjeong Koo, Daniel Erkensten, Dae‐Hyun Nam, Soo Min Kim, Young Hee Lee, Heemyoung Hong, Balakrishnan Kirubasankar, Yuting Luo, Yongshan Xu, Ki Kang Kim, Bilu Liu, Heejun Yang, Yu-Rim Jeon, Chang Yun Heo, Ali Javey, Deji Akinwande, Seok Joon Yun
article en
1 citations

Abstract

van der Waals (vdW) layered semiconductors have emerged as a unique class of quantum materials distinguished from their bulk counterparts by reduced dielectric screening, strong Coulomb interactions, large exciton binding energies, strong spin-orbit coupling, and pronounced thickness-dependent band structures. These fundamental attributes have enabled the exploration of exotic many-body physics and a broad spectrum of device applications, ranging from field-effect transistors and ferroelectric switches to optoelectronics, magnetic semiconductors, neuromorphic computing, and energy harvesting systems. Despite remarkable advances, critical challenges remain in the controlled synthesis of high-quality crystals, formation of low-resistance contacts, integration of stable and scalable gate dielectrics, and reliable device performance at the wafer scale. In this mega-review, we provide a comprehensive overview of contemporary challenges and future opportunities in vdW-layered semiconductors, structured across nine themes: growth and heterostructures of transition metal dichalcogenides, Ohmic contacts, emerging gate dielectrics, high-performance low-power field-effect transistors (FETs), diluted magnetic semiconductors, plasmonics and exciton propagation, hot-carrier solar cells, bioinspired neuromorphic computing, and electrocatalytic/photocatalytic energy conversion. By consolidating fundamental insights and device-level perspectives, this review aims to chart a roadmap for advancing vdW semiconductors from laboratory-scale discoveries to transformative technologies in electronics, optoelectronics, spintronics, and sustainable energy systems.

ACS NanoVol. 20(4)
Pohang University of Science and Technology (KR), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (US), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KR), Philipps University of Marburg (DE), Nanyang Technological University (SG), Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (KR), Yonsei University (KR), Peking University (CN), University of Cambridge (GB), University of California System (US), Sookmyung Women's University (KR), University of Ulsan (KR), Institute for Basic Science (KR), Frontier Science Foundation (CH), Advanced Institute of Convergence Technology (KR), Kavli Energy NanoScience Institute (US), Quantum Dimension (United States) (US), China National Chemical Engineering (China) (CN), Aerospace Institute (Germany) (DE), Materials Processing (United States) (US), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (CN), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (CN), Hubei University of Technology (CN), University of Maine (US), Sungkyunkwan University (KR), The University of Texas at Austin (US), Tsinghua University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
2D Materials and Applications
16.08
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