2D–3D heterointerface regulation of van der Waals epitaxy of AlN on graphene for wafer-scale exfoliation

P Peng Liu Y Yiwei Duo (Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,) W Wenze Wei (College of Energy, Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials Innovations, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies, Soochow University 4 , 215006 Suzhou,) J JiaXin Liu Q Qichao Yang (Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,) J Jingnan Dong (Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,) Z Zhaolong Chen J Jiankun Yang Y Yiyun Zhang P Peng Gao J Junxi Wang J Jingyu Sun (Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Development and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Center for Brain Health and Brain Technology, Global Institute of Future Technology, Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University) W Wenjie Wang (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Low-Carbon Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China) T Tongbo Wei (Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,)

Abstract

In this work, we present a three-step van der Waals epitaxy method to grow a transferable single-crystalline AlN membrane on untreated bilayer graphene by using two-dimensional (2D)/three-dimensional heterointerface regulation. Ultra-low V/III ratio in the first step greatly enables rapid mergence of quasi-2D AlN to protect the graphene from the damage in high-temperature and ammonia environments. Cyclic growth with different V/III ratios is introduced to release the strain in the second step, effectively alleviating the cracking problem of the subsequent AlN epilayer. Furthermore, we demonstrate the mechanical exfoliation of wafer-scale AlN epilayers and reveal the mechanism behind their controlled delamination. This work provides an effective strategy to realize free-standing AlN membrane on graphene with high quality and controllable delamination, laying a solid foundation for flexible deep ultraviolet device applications.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 128, Issue 8
Published February 23, 2026
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (14)

P

Peng Liu

Y

Yiwei Duo

Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,

W

Wenze Wei

College of Energy, Soochow Institute for Energy and Materials Innovations, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies, Soochow University 4 , 215006 Suzhou,

J

JiaXin Liu

Q

Qichao Yang

Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,

J

Jingnan Dong

Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,

Z

Zhaolong Chen

J

Jiankun Yang

Y

Yiyun Zhang

P

Peng Gao

J

Junxi Wang

J

Jingyu Sun

Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Development and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Center for Brain Health and Brain Technology, Global Institute of Future Technology, Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

W

Wenjie Wang

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Low-Carbon Technology, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China

T

Tongbo Wei

Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,