A European consortium has unveiled a laser-based process that could speed up the adoption of 2D materials in semiconductor production. Developed under the Horizon Europe–funded L2D2 project, the technique transfers graphene and related atomically thin materials directly onto CMOS-compatible and silicon photonics wafers. This overcomes a major hurdle to industrial-scale integration.
The project brings together academia and industry partners, including the National Technical University of Athens, Graphenea Semiconductor, NVIDIA Mellanox, and Bar-Ilan University.
From Lab Curiosity to Industrial Reality
2D materials, like graphene, have long promised improved performance in electronics and photonics. However, integrating them into chipmaking workflows has been challenging.
Conventional transfer methods rely on polymers or solvents, which can contaminate surfaces, create defects, and limit scalability. L2D2’s new approach eliminates these problems.
The process, called Laser Digital Transfer (LDT), uses precise laser pulses to transfer and pattern 2D materials exactly where needed. It is a single-step, solvent-free method compatible with standard semiconductor manufacturing lines, a key requirement for commercial use.
Precision at Wafer Scale
LDT can transfer microscopic “pixels” of graphene and other 2D materials, with feature sizes from under 10 micrometres to several hundred micrometres.
It works across full 4-inch and 8-inch wafers, matching the dimensions used in CMOS and silicon photonics fabrication. Since it avoids polymers and liquids, the transferred layers remain clean and structurally intact.
This results in defect-free, reproducible integration that can be automated, paving the way for high-volume manufacturing.
Professor Ioanna Zergioti, NTUA Project Coordinator, said, “LDT is a decisive step toward bridging the gap between 2D materials research and semiconductor-grade production. Wafer-scale integration is now within reach.”
Enabling Next-Generation Photonics
The technology could unlock new nano-optoelectronic devices. Potential applications include:
- Faster, energy-efficient optical modulators
- Highly sensitive photodetectors
- Compact integrated transceivers
- Advanced sensing systems
If commercialized successfully, Laser Digital Transfer could move 2D materials from experimental promise to practical use in next-generation chips.
