Applications of remote epitaxy and van der Waals epitaxy

Abstract

Epitaxy technology produces high-quality material building blocks that underpin various fields of applications. However, fundamental limitations exist for conventional epitaxy, such as the lattice matching constraints that have greatly narrowed down the choices of available epitaxial material combinations. Recent emerging epitaxy techniques such as remote and van der Waals epitaxy have shown exciting perspectives to overcome these limitations and provide freestanding nanomembranes for massive novel applications. Here, we review the mechanism and fundamentals for van der Waals and remote epitaxy to produce freestanding nanomembranes. Key benefits that are exclusive to these two growth strategies are comprehensively summarized. A number of original applications have also been discussed, highlighting the advantages of these freestanding films-based designs. Finally, we discuss the current limitations with possible solutions and potential future directions towards nanomembranes-based advanced heterogeneous integration. Graphical Abstract

Flexible and Stretchable Light-Emitting Diodes and Photodetectors for Human-Centric Optoelectronics

“…Another widely used transfer method is mechanically lifting off epilayers grown using an intermediate layer that facilitates mechanical exfoliation, such as 2D materials with atomic-layered structures. − For example, GaN layers grown on graphene layers using van der Waals epitaxy could be easily released from the growing substrate . In addition, it has been found that high-quality thin films could be epitaxially grown even in the presence of 2D materials, because epitaxial orientation of the substrate could penetrate the 2D materials (known as remote epitaxy) .…”

Functionalizing nanophotonic structures with 2D van der Waals materials

“…4b). 348 Besides, 2D materials that have a minuscule thickness limit their interaction length with electromagnetic waves, 50 and recent advances on remote epitaxy [371][372][373] and van der Waals epitaxy [374][375][376] also permit various three-dimensional (3D) freestanding nanomembranes (Fig. 4c), 50,375,[377][378][379][380] as well as other 3D layer exfoliation techniques by epitaxial chemical lift-off, mechanical exfoliation or laser lift-off.…”

Unveiling the mechanism of remote epitaxy of crystalline semiconductors on 2D materials-coated substrates

“…Furthermore, despite the large lattice mismatch, the high-quality epilayer can be achievable where the remote epitaxy is implemented. The high-quality epilayers prepared by remote epitaxy provide various opportunities of advanced device manufacturing and realization of heterostructures composed of incommensurate materials due to their quality and releasable structures [ 93 ].…”