Low Temperature MOCVD Synthesis of High‐Mobility 2D InSe
2D indium selenide (InSe) is a layered semiconductor with high electron mobility and a tunable band gap ranging from 1.25 eV in the bulk to 2.8 eV in the monolayer limit. However, growing phase-pure InSe remains challenging due to the complex indium-selenium (In-Se) phase diagram. This complexity and the sensitivity of chemical precursors to growth conditions make it difficult to control which In-Se phase forms during synthesis during, e.g., metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). MOCVD is considered the most promising approach for growing InSe, as it enables wafer-scale, uniform, and controllable deposition-key requirements for device integration. We present a systematic investigation of InSe synthesis on c-plane sapphire substrates at low temperatures. By varying Se/In precursor ratio and growth temperature, we create a phase diagram that covers In-rich, equal stoichiometric, and Se-rich In<sub>x</sub>Se<sub>y</sub> phases. Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, supported by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy, reveal formation conditions of 2D InSe. The epitaxial alignment is verified by in-plane X-ray diffraction. Samples grown under optimized conditions exhibit a strong optical absorption in the visible range and especially a comparably high electron mobility, underlining the potential of the MOCVD-grown material for future applications.
Authors
- Sebastian Anhäuser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6127-5388)
- Andreas Beyer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6533-0631)
- Jürgen Belz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0467-5721)
- Max Bergmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4361-5518)
- Sangam Chatterjee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0237-5880)
- Johannes Glowatzki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8440-2271)
- Oliver Maßmeyer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6101-5706)
- Milan Solanki
- Gregor Witte (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2237-0953)
- Daniel Anders (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6816-6520)
- Badrosadat Ojaghi Dogahe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7736-7025)
- Kerstin Volz
- Robin Günkel
- Rodrigo Sandoval Rodriguez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-8465-7826)
- Kalle Bräumer
- Nils Fritjof Langlotz
- Jan‐Heinrich Littmann
- Markus Stein
Institutions
- Philipps University of Marburg (DE)
- Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Small
- Published
- 2026-01-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202510911
- Primary Topic
- 2D Materials and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- European Regional Development Fund