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<p>Engineering sapphire substrates with specific surface characteristics is crucial for the epitaxial growth of high-quality wafer-scale transition metal dichalcogenides, essential for integration with semiconductor industry processes. Here, we report that atomic-step-engineered sapphire surfaces undergo structural and chemical changes upon air exposure, which may be associated with surface hydrolysis and the formation of aluminum (oxy)hydroxides as revealed by a self-developed charge-contrast enhanced X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy technique. We suggest these species transform into oxygen-deficient Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3-x</sub> under typical growth conditions, associated with disrupted domain alignment. We further demonstrate that ultraviolet light irradiation in air appears to mitigate this degradation, restoring surface stoichiometry and promoting epitaxial alignment. The grown monolayer WS₂ films exhibit high crystalline quality, good uniformity, and low defect density. Statistical analysis of 100 field-effect transistors shows a device yield &gt;95% and a mobility variation &lt;20%. These findings provide relevant insights for the consistent production of industrial-scale, high-quality 2D semiconductors.</p>

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Evidence of air-induced surface transformation of atomic step-engineered sapphire in relation to epitaxial growth of 2D semiconductors

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2025年9月26日

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  • Wei Fu,
  • Jianwei Chai,
  • Hiroyo Kawai,
  • Thathsara Maddumapatabandi,
  • Fabio Bussolotti,
  • Ding Huang,
  • Rainer Lee,
  • Siew Lang Teo,
  • Hui Ru Tan,
  • Calvin Pei Yu Wong,
  • Anqi Sng,
  • Yunjie Chen,
  • Chit Siong Lau,
  • Mingsheng Zhang,
  • Henry Medina,
  • Ming Lin,
  • Michel Bosman,
  • Kuan Eng Johnson Goh

摘要

Engineering sapphire substrates with specific surface characteristics is crucial for the epitaxial growth of high-quality wafer-scale transition metal dichalcogenides, essential for integration with semiconductor industry processes. Here, we report that atomic-step-engineered sapphire surfaces undergo structural and chemical changes upon air exposure, which may be associated with surface hydrolysis and the formation of aluminum (oxy)hydroxides as revealed by a self-developed charge-contrast enhanced X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy technique. We suggest these species transform into oxygen-deficient Al2O3-x under typical growth conditions, associated with disrupted domain alignment. We further demonstrate that ultraviolet light irradiation in air appears to mitigate this degradation, restoring surface stoichiometry and promoting epitaxial alignment. The grown monolayer WS₂ films exhibit high crystalline quality, good uniformity, and low defect density. Statistical analysis of 100 field-effect transistors shows a device yield >95% and a mobility variation <20%. These findings provide relevant insights for the consistent production of industrial-scale, high-quality 2D semiconductors.