Advanced Materials for Heterojunction

Dear Colleagues

The use of conventional semiconductors for heterojunction-based electronic devices is facing a bottleneck after the urgent requirement of the market to reduce the dimensions below the quantum limit. Since the first synthesis of graphene, research developed towards the possible use of new materials that are able to substitute Si in most devices as transistors, photodetectors, particle detectors, or solar cells, to mention but a few of the most popular option. At the same time, new phenomena, such as Majorana Fermions, superconductivity and low dimensional related effects, emerged at the interface between different materials opening new and exciting perspectives for fast electronics. Very recently, new materials have demonstrated their feasibility to substitute or integrate Si for heterojunction-based electronic devices. Their distinguished characteristics are a simple mechanism of growth down to few atomic layers, integration with traditional semiconductors (Si, Ge, GaAs, etc.), optical properties which overcome the limit of the Si absorption band, high carrier mobiltity at room temperature, easy doping, possibility to be deposited on different substrates, possible flexibility, etc. Topological insulators, transition metal dichancogenites and trichalcogenites, and black phosphorus are only some of the new materials where recent research has focused its attention. In addition, superconductor heterojunctions remain a valid alternative for their high efficiency and low electrical noise, at least for quantum computing and particle detection.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect a number of papers dealing with the most innovative materials for heterojunction achievement with reliable properties for electronic, optical, and particle detection applications, as well as for emerging new interface effects. In addition to the interest in the specific materials, new fabrication methods, new applications, and possible interdisciplinarity are welcomed. 

Dr. Matteo Salvato
Guest Editor

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• low dimensionality
• heterojunctions
• interface
• electronic devices
• thin film growth
• electronic band
• transistor
• superconductors
• electron mobility