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A collaborative team of researchers from China and the United States has developed a novel etching technique for advanced semiconductor materials, paving the way for innovative high-performance optoelectronic devices.
Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, ShanghaiTech University, and Purdue University in the U.S. successfully created controllable mosaic lateral heterostructures within two-dimensional lead halide perovskites—the first of its kind, according to a study published in a leading scientific journal on January 14.
Perovskite, a mineral with a unique crystal structure and remarkable photoelectric properties, holds great potential for next-generation devices like solar cells and LED lighting. However, its soft, unstable crystal makeup makes it challenging to produce high-quality, precise patterns using traditional lithography techniques.
To address this challenge, the team devised an innovative “self-etching” approach that capitalizes on internal crystal stress. As the perovskite crystals grow, they naturally develop internal stress. By placing the crystals in a specially designed solvent environment, this internal stress can be intentionally triggered to etch specific areas, forming regular, square-shaped pores.
Subsequently, the researchers employed a rapid solvent evaporation growth method to fill these pores with various semiconductor materials, resulting in continuous, uniform, and high-quality mosaic-patterned heterostructures within a single crystal.
“This isn’t just about assembling different materials,” said a lead researcher from the University of Science and Technology of China. “We’re actively guiding the crystal itself to develop continuous lateral heterostructures within the material.”
This breakthrough could eventually enable the growth of densely packed tiny pixels, each capable of emitting different colors, on ultra-thin substrates. Such advancements could revolutionize display technology, offering a new approach to creating high-performance visual devices.
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