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Bonding at the atomic limit: redefining contacts in two-dimensional semiconductors

Bei Zhao1 and Xidong Duan2,

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 Corresponding author: Xidong Duan, xidongduan@hnu.edu.cn

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/26010050CSTR: 32376.14.1674-4926.26010050

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[1]
Liu Y, Guo J, Zhu E B, et al. Approaching the Schottky–Mott limit in van der Waals metal–semiconductor junctions. Nature, 2018, 557(7707): 696 doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0129-8
[2]
Kwon G, Choi Y H, Lee H, et al. Interaction- and defect-free van der Waals contacts between metals and two-dimensional semiconductors. Nat Electron, 2022, 5(4): 241 doi: 10.1038/s41928-022-00746-6
[3]
Chu C H, Lin H C, Yeh C H, et al. End-bonded metal contacts on WSe2 field-effect transistors. ACS Nano, 2019, 13(7): 8146 doi: 10.1021/acsnano.9b03250
[4]
Xiao J K, Kang Z, Liu B S, et al. Record-high saturation current in end-bond contacted monolayer MoS2 transistors. Nano Res, 2022, 15(1): 475 doi: 10.1007/s12274-021-3504-y
[5]
Wang Y, Kim J C, Wu R J, et al. Van der Waals contacts between three-dimensional metals and two-dimensional semiconductors. Nature, 2019, 568(7750): 70 doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1052-3
[6]
Wang Y, Kim J C, Li Y, et al. P-type electrical contacts for 2D transition-metal dichalcogenides. Nature, 2022, 610(7930): 61 doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05134-w
[7]
Shen P C, Su C, Lin Y X, et al. Ultralow contact resistance between semimetal and monolayer semiconductors. Nature, 2021, 593(7858): 211 doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03472-9
[8]
English C D, Shine G, Dorgan V E, et al. Improved contacts to MoS2 transistors by ultra-high vacuum metal deposition. Nano Lett, 2016, 16(6): 3824 doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b01309
[9]
Gao L, Chen Z Y, Fang Z H, et al. Atomic layer bonding contacts in two-dimensional semiconductors. Science, 2025, 390(6775): 813 doi: 10.1126/science.adz2405
Fig. 1.  (a) and (b) Differential charge density of vdW contact (a) and ALB contact (b) of Au and MoS2 system (red, positive; purple, negative). The isosurface level is 2.5 × 10−3 e bohr−3. The graph on the right is the corresponding electrostatic potential profile along the vertical direction. (c) Bonding energy of ALB and vdW interface obtained from calculation. (d) HAADF-STEM image of the ALB interface. Scale bar, 1 nm. (e) Contact resistance (RC) extracted from the typical TLM. (f) Output curves of the same device in 30-nm short-channel MoS2 FET. (g) and (h) Scanning electron microscopy images of short-channel MoS2 transistors with ALB contact (g) and Au direct contact (h) before and after heating. Scale bar, 200 nm. (i) Transport properties of MoS2 transistor with ALB contact and different types of Au contacts before and after annealing. (j) Radar plot of our ALB contact versus Sb vdW contact, benchmarked against industrial-grade contact performance. PC, process compatibility; RC, contact resistance (Ω·μm); σ, electrical conductivity (S/m); TC, thermal conductivity (W/mK); TS, thermomechanical stability (°C)[9].

[1]
Liu Y, Guo J, Zhu E B, et al. Approaching the Schottky–Mott limit in van der Waals metal–semiconductor junctions. Nature, 2018, 557(7707): 696 doi: 10.1038/s41586-018-0129-8
[2]
Kwon G, Choi Y H, Lee H, et al. Interaction- and defect-free van der Waals contacts between metals and two-dimensional semiconductors. Nat Electron, 2022, 5(4): 241 doi: 10.1038/s41928-022-00746-6
[3]
Chu C H, Lin H C, Yeh C H, et al. End-bonded metal contacts on WSe2 field-effect transistors. ACS Nano, 2019, 13(7): 8146 doi: 10.1021/acsnano.9b03250
[4]
Xiao J K, Kang Z, Liu B S, et al. Record-high saturation current in end-bond contacted monolayer MoS2 transistors. Nano Res, 2022, 15(1): 475 doi: 10.1007/s12274-021-3504-y
[5]
Wang Y, Kim J C, Wu R J, et al. Van der Waals contacts between three-dimensional metals and two-dimensional semiconductors. Nature, 2019, 568(7750): 70 doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1052-3
[6]
Wang Y, Kim J C, Li Y, et al. P-type electrical contacts for 2D transition-metal dichalcogenides. Nature, 2022, 610(7930): 61 doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05134-w
[7]
Shen P C, Su C, Lin Y X, et al. Ultralow contact resistance between semimetal and monolayer semiconductors. Nature, 2021, 593(7858): 211 doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03472-9
[8]
English C D, Shine G, Dorgan V E, et al. Improved contacts to MoS2 transistors by ultra-high vacuum metal deposition. Nano Lett, 2016, 16(6): 3824 doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b01309
[9]
Gao L, Chen Z Y, Fang Z H, et al. Atomic layer bonding contacts in two-dimensional semiconductors. Science, 2025, 390(6775): 813 doi: 10.1126/science.adz2405
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    Received: 31 January 2026 Revised: Online: Accepted Manuscript: 27 February 2026Uncorrected proof: 27 February 2026

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      Bei Zhao, Xidong Duan. Bonding at the atomic limit: redefining contacts in two-dimensional semiconductors[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2026, In Press. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/26010050 ****B Zhao and X D Duan, Bonding at the atomic limit: redefining contacts in two-dimensional semiconductors[J]. J. Semicond., 2026, 47(4): 040401 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/26010050
      Citation:
      Bei Zhao, Xidong Duan. Bonding at the atomic limit: redefining contacts in two-dimensional semiconductors[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2026, In Press. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/26010050 ****
      B Zhao and X D Duan, Bonding at the atomic limit: redefining contacts in two-dimensional semiconductors[J]. J. Semicond., 2026, 47(4): 040401 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/26010050

      Bonding at the atomic limit: redefining contacts in two-dimensional semiconductors

      DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/26010050
      CSTR: 32376.14.1674-4926.26010050
      More Information
      • Bei Zhao received her Ph.D. degree (2021) in Physical Chemistry from Hunan University. She is currently a professor at the School of Physics, Southeast University. Her research focuses on wafer-scale controllable synthesis of novel two-dimensional materials, their damage-free transfer and integration
      • Xidong Duan received his Ph.D. degree from the Hunan University in 2016. He is now a professor at Hunan University, China. His research focuses on two-dimensional materials and their heterostructures, encompassing their preparation, physical properties, and applications
      • Corresponding author: xidongduan@hnu.edu.cn
      • Received Date: 2026-01-31
        Available Online: 2026-02-27

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