2D Materials, from Academia to Industry
Semiconductor sales will reach over $500 billion worldwide in 2021, a gigantic industry that keeps on growing with increasing demand for faster, more powerful, and smaller chips. However, as we keep scaling, the silicon (Si) transistor will soon reach its physical limit, and there is a pressing need to find an alternative post-Si material to enable the continuation of Moore’s Law.
In the early 2000s, scientists discovered that graphite could be exfoliated down into an atomic form, going from a 3D bulk material down to a 2D stable honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms called graphene. Scientists marveled at graphene’s astonishing electrical and mechanical properties, however, for all that graphene has to offer, it lacks a band gap that is essential for logic devices. This created a surge in research on materials beyond graphene, scientists searching for an elusive 2D material that would possess a bandgap to satisfy the need of the semiconducting industry. Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) possess the bandgap that graphene lacks, and with the vast variety of TMDs available, coupled with its encouraging electrical properties, make TMDs a promising candidate.
In this talk, I will present my years of research on 2D materials focusing on TMDs, from synthesis and characterization to innovative applications. I will demonstrate a scalable method for monolayer TMD growth and integration, its applications (e.g. opioid biosensor and flexible electronics), the first report of monolayer growth and electrical characterization of the topological 1T’-TMDs, and in-plane monolayer TMD heterostructures with different metal atoms or atomic phases. I will also discuss some of Intel’s published industrial research to date on 2D materials, how TMDs and other 2D materials are finding their way into production and potentially into everyone’s day to day life.
Dr. Carl Hugo Naylor is a Research Engineer at Intel Corporation’s Components Research. Components Research is Intel’s classified Research & Development department, responsible for demonstrating and developing game-changing and revolutionary process technologies that are 10+ years ahead of production, enabling Intel’s technology leadership. Dr. Naylor obtained his PhD in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Prof. A. T. Charlie Johnson on “Beyond Graphene: Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides, a New Platform for Science”. He obtained his MS in Nanophysics and Nanostructures, and his BS in Physics from the University Joseph Fourier in Grenoble, France.
Dr. Naylor’s area of research is in novel nanomaterials, from synthesis and characterization to incorporating them into innovative applications. For instance, he demonstrated the first synthesis of monolayer 1T’ materials, notoriously known for their instability. He also incorporated 2D materials into applications such as sensors and flexible electronics, for healthcare monitoring and prevention. With 40+ publications achieved, 40+ patents filed, and numerous industrial and academic accolades, Dr. Naylor is passionate about leading innovation in the field.
Dr. Naylor was born in London, United Kingdom, and moved at a young age to Annecy, France. Dr. Naylor enjoys traveling and has held numerous research positions across the globe. He has spent time at Pennsylvania State University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Commissariat d’Energie Atomique in France. Dr. Naylor now resides in Portland, OR, with his wife, who works in non-profit organizations, and his 2 year old daughter and newborn son. In his spare time, Dr. Naylor enjoys sports, music, and family time.