Overarching goals:

Our research explores how atomically thin materials can be grown, contacted, and integrated for post-silicon electronics. We are interested in the synthesis of wafer-scale 2D semiconductors and porous materials, the discovery of emerging p-type materials directly on amorphous dielectrics, the engineering of low-resistance contacts and interfaces, and monolithic 3D integration strategies for future computing hardware. By combining materials chemistry, epitaxy, interface science, and device engineering, we aim to establish scalable pathways from atomic structure to electronic function.

1. Wafer-scale Epitaxy of 2D Semiconductors (Stanley FU)

We develop epitaxial growth strategies for wafer-scale 2D semiconductors with controlled crystallinity, orientation, and thickness. A central focus of the lab is semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), where we study how surface symmetry, interfacial energetics, and precursor chemistry govern nucleation, alignment, and domain coalescence. Our goal is to move beyond isolated high-quality flakes and toward manufacturable 2D semiconductor platforms with uniform electronic properties across large areas.

In parallel, we are interested in transfer-free routes that preserve atomically clean interfaces and enable direct integration into device architectures. These efforts are motivated by the need for scalable semiconductors that can extend electronic performance beyond the limits of conventional silicon.

2. Emerging p-type Materials on Amorphous Dielectrics

Complementary p-type materials remain a critical missing component in the broader 2D electronics ecosystem. We therefore explore new semiconducting materials that can be synthesized directly on technologically relevant amorphous dielectrics, without relying on single-crystal templates or laborious transfer processes. Our work seeks to uncover new growth chemistries, precursor design principles, and interfacial mechanisms that enable highly functional p-type channels on substrates compatible with large-scale device fabrication.

This direction is especially important for future CMOS-like architectures, where direct integration on amorphous surfaces can offer a realistic pathway toward process compatibility, reduced thermal budget, and heterogeneous device assembly.

3. Contact and Interface Engineering in Atomically Thin Devices

As device dimensions continue to shrink, the interface often becomes the device. We study how metal contacts, dielectric environments, and buried interfaces control charge injection, transport, and electrostatic performance in atomically thin systems. Our research emphasizes low-resistance contact formation, interfacial chemical control, and device architectures that minimize parasitic losses while preserving intrinsic material properties.

Rather than treating contacts as a secondary optimization, we regard interface engineering as a central design principle in next-generation electronics. This perspective connects synthesis directly to device performance and is essential for realizing the full potential of both established 2D semiconductors and newly emerging materials.

4. Monolithic 3D Integration and New Architectures for AI Hardware

We are interested in how atomically thin materials can enable monolithic 3D integration strategies beyond the scaling limits of planar semiconductor technologies. These efforts include low-temperature growth and integration, transfer-free assembly, vertically stacked device concepts, and materials platforms designed for dense logic-memory interconnection. Our broader motivation is to create new materials and processing routes that are compatible with future high-performance and energy-efficient computing systems.

By addressing synthesis, interfaces, and integration simultaneously, we aim to contribute to the materials foundation of next-generation AI hardware and other advanced electronic architectures.

5. Epitaxy and Interfacial Design of 2D Porous and Amorphous Materials

Beyond semiconducting TMDs, we investigate a broader class of atomically thin and molecularly engineered materials, including graphdiyne, amorphous boron nitride, covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and related porous thin films. These materials offer fundamentally new opportunities in charge transport, molecular selectivity, dielectric behavior, ion transport, and hybrid device design.

A key challenge in this area is to establish growth and assembly strategies on technologically meaningful substrates, including amorphous surfaces. We are particularly interested in how molecular precursors, substrate interactions, and interfacial kinetics can be used to direct structural order, film continuity, and functional integration. This research expands the definition of electronic materials beyond conventional crystalline semiconductors and opens new directions at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, and device engineering.

6. Spintronics (Takahito TAKEDA)

We aim to create next-generation spintronic devices using 2D materials as our primary platform. Our core strength lies in the direct observation of electronic states using state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation spectroscopy (such as ARPES). We investigate how electron spins behave and identify their band structures within these ultra-thin, nanoscale materials. By leveraging a deep understanding of fundamental physics, we are developing ultra-low-power memory and next-generation logic device. Our research spans the entire spectrum: from "visualizing electronic states " to "harnessing those states for functional spin control"

Collaboration:

Prof. Jeehwan Kim at MIT;

Prof. Jing Kong at MIT;

Prof. Lance Li at NUS;

Prof. Kosuke Nagashio at UTokyo

Prof. Takeshi Yanagida at UTokyo

Prof. Deep Jariwalla at UPenn;

Prof. Sang-Hoon Bae at the University of Washington, St. Loius;

Prof. Wen-Hao Chang at NCTU, Taiwan;

Prof. Yi-Chia Chou at NTU, Taiwan;

TSMC, Enli-Tech, TuoTuoT