New Adhesive Tape Picks Up and Sticks Down 2D Materials as easily as child's play; Assistant Professor Kou Li and Professor Yukio Kawano, Faculty of Science and Engineering

Joint Press Release by Kyushu University and Chuo University et al.

A. Materials just atoms in thickness, 2D materials, such as graphene and transition menta dichalcogenides are expected to revolutionize future technology. The finding overcame the difficulty of “transitioning” materials to silicon or flexible substrates from copper film.

B. Succeeded in developing adhesive tape that changes its stickiness to 2D materials when exposed to UV light, which makes 2D materials transitioning easy and user-friendly.

C. The transition using this UV tape can be applied to various 2D materials. It can also stick down 2D materials to a large area which offers great possibility for the creation of new industries by promoting 2D materials research and fabrication process.

  Along with the recent progress toward an information society, semiconductor devices are required to be faster and power-saving. Sheets just atoms in thickness, known as two-dimensional (2D) materials including graphene are expected to be the next-generation device materials. Most 2D materials apply a “transitioning” process which transfers 2D materials to silicon or flexible substrates from copper film. However, it is known that 2D materials will tear when transitioned, or a “transitioning” causes property deterioration due to leaving the protective polymer layer behind. In addition, there remained many issues such as unable to use organic solvents in order to remove the protective polymer layer on flexible substrates, time-consuming, and requires a high level of transitioning techniques.

  With the support from NEDO, the research group led by Professor Hiroki Ago of Kyushu University Global Innovation Center; Nitto Denko Corporation; Institute for 2D Materials; Assistant Professor Kou Li and Professor Yukio Kawano of Chuo University; Professor Kazunari Yoshizawa of Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University; Associate Professor Yuta Tsuji of Kyushu University Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences; Professor Kazutomo Suenaga of SANKEN Osaka University; and Researcher Yung-Chang Lin of The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology has succeeded in developing a functional adhesive tape dedicated to 2D materials which the stickiness weakens when the tape is irradiated by UV light. This method does not require a protective polymer or organic solvent enabling easy transitioning for end-users. Furthermore, this tape transitioning can be applied to 2D materials besides graphene such as semiconductors or insulators. The group also realized flexible terahertz sensors using graphene transitioned through UV tape.

  This research will bring about further progress in a large area transitioning and fabrication process of 2D materials which was difficult before, and expected to largely contribute to the creation of next-generation industry including semiconductors.

A comment from the researcher:  
  Although 2D materials including graphene possess a great possibility, the process of “transitioning” which transits 2D materials to other substrates after picking up remained a big issue. I am sure this accomplishment will facilitate the creation of new industries such as electronics and drastically transform the style of research and development of 2D materials.

The research accomplishment was published online in the British Scientific Journal, Nature Electronics (February 9, 2024, 7 pm, JST).

For the research details, please see Kyushu University’s press release.

Please visit Kawano Yukio Laboratory’s website (Japanese only).