Remote epitaxy

Remote epitaxy is an emerging technology for producing single-crystalline, free-standing thin films and structures. The method uses 2D van der Waals materials as semi-transparent interlayers that enable epitaxy and release of epitaxial layers at the 2D layer interface. Although the principle of remote epitaxy is simple, it is often challenging to perform owing to stringent requirements for sample preparation and procedure control. This Primer provides extensive guidelines on remote epitaxy techniques, from preparing 2D materials to epitaxy processes and layer transfer methods. Depending on the material of interest, the procedure used can vary, which affects the quality. Consequently, in this Primer, key considerations and characterization techniques are provided for respective families of materials. These are intended as a stepping stone to expand the available material choice and improve the quality of materials grown by remote epitaxy. Lastly, the current limitations, possible solutions and future directions of remote epitaxy and its applications are discussed.