Phase-controlled epitaxial growth of MoTe₂: Approaching high-quality 2D materials for electronic devices with low contact resistance

Because silicon transistors are approaching the limit of device miniaturization, 2D semiconductors show great promise in electronic devices as post-silicon alternatives. However, critical bottlenecks that impede applications remain in 2D material-based devices, such as the lack of scalable fabrication techniques of highly crystalline samples and the challenge of contact resistance. In this Perspective, we review the recently developed 2D MoTe2 as an excellent material in phase-controlled epitaxial growth and phase transition. The high flexibility in phase engineering of MoTe2 enables (1) wafer-scale fabrication of semiconducting MoTe2 single crystals and (2) intrinsically ideal contact geometry for high-performance electronic devices.