The isolation of graphene has sparked an unprecedented world wide research activity on the topic of two-dimensional (2D) materials. However, even though graphene has a high potential for various applications, its metallic character is a significant limitation for a large variety of electron devices, starting with the conventional field effect transistor. This limitation could be overcome in the near future by the use of layered van der Waals crystals such as black phosphorus (i.e., phosphorene, which is one to few layers of black phosphorus) and also by other semiconducting 2D materials such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) of general formula MX₂, where M is the metal and X the chalcogen (S, Se and Te).

For instance, phosphorene exhibits a direct band gap varying between ~ 0.3 eV for bulk crystals to ~ 2 eV for a monolayer. In layered TMDC structures, each layer typically comprises 3 atomic planes (corresponding to a thickness below 8 Å), and consists of an hexagonally-organized atomic layer of metal atoms sandwiched between two planes of chalcogen atoms, also in hexagonal configurations. M–X bonds inside each layer are covalent; however, the sandwiching chalcogen layers are linked by weak van der Waals bonds, so that a bulk crystal is easy to cleave along the chalcogen planes. As with phosphorene, most semiconducting TMDC materials also see their band gap increasing as thickness decreases and they switch from indirect to direct band gap for a monolayer. To date, the most studied semiconductor TMDCs are MoS₂ and WS₂. Because they are atomically thin, 2D materials are particularly well suited for flexible electronics applications.

After a brief description of the major features of phosphorene and TMDCs (crystal structures, relevant electronic properties as a function of thickness …), the talk will highlight recent results concerning field effect transistor characteristics. In particular, carrier mobility values as high as 5000 cm²/Vs have been measured in phosphorene films. Since local substitutional-type doping cannot be used in 2D materials, there is a general contacting problem (Schottky barrier formation), which is of paramount importance for device applications. In particular, two types of contacts can be formed: the top contact and the edge contact, which behave differently. Generally speaking, the semiconductor thickness is much smaller than the depletion length at the contact, which is an intriguing and novel situation.

In the second part of the talk, various synthesis methods will be presented and discussed, particularly in view of their possible use in the field of large area electronics. For most devices fabricated so far, the 2D layers were obtained by exfoliation of bulk crystals. However, recent progress in synthesis include molecular beam epitaxy, controlled chemical vapour deposition and vapour phase transport. Those various approaches will be discussed, as well as the newly-introduced atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. As most 2D materials are grown on a separate substrate, the transfer problem will be highlighted, particularly concerning phosphorene which is highly hygroscopic, and sensitive to the presence of light. The presentation will be concluded by some perspectives concerning the industrialization of 2D materials.