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Van der Waals materials for energy-efficient electronic devices

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Abstract

Since the invention of the first transistor based on germanium, a wide range of 3D semiconductors, metals and insulators have been used as building blocks for integrated logic and memory devices. However, the energy consumption of electronic devices based on these 3D materials has continued to increase, particularly in emerging paradigms such as artificial intelligence, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of technological advancement. To overcome this limitation, incorporating atomically thin van der Waals materials into electronic devices has been proposed, as their unique structural, electronic and polymorphic properties could enable new mechanisms to enhance device energy efficiency. Here, we discuss fundamental challenges faced by conventional 3D-material-based electronics and present how van der Waals materials can be used to address these limitations for energy-efficient device architectures. We conclude by summarizing the key challenges that remain and outlining strategic directions to bridge the gap between fundamental materials science and practical device applications for sustainable, energy-efficient devices.

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Fig. 1: Polymorphic phase-change devices and GB-mediated devices.
Fig. 2: FE semiconductor FETs and moiré superlattice-based devices.
Fig. 3: Barristors, ferroelectric tunnel junctions and sidewall v-FETs.
Fig. 4: Conductive-filament-driven devices and atomristors.
Fig. 5: Atomic-scale electrode engineering for reduced contact resistance.
Fig. 6: Dielectric materials for fast operation and low subthreshold swing.
Fig. 7: Representative metrics and energy efficiency of vdW material-based devices.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea Government (RS-2025-16063688, RS-2025-00514456, RS-2025-02982993, RS-2024-00340377, RS-2025-02243032 and RS-2023-00256050) and by the Samsung Research Funding & Incubation Center of Samsung Electronics under project no. SRFC-MA1701-52.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Eunji Hwang, Heemyoung Hong.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea

    Eunji Hwang, Heemyoung Hong, Yanggeun Joo, Sangsu Yer & Heejun Yang

  2. Graduate School of Semiconductor Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea

    Yongjoon Lee & Heejun Yang

  3. Division of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Graduate Program in System Health Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Suyeon Cho

  4. Institute for Multiscale Matter and Systems (IMMS), Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Suyeon Cho

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E.H. and H.H. contributed equally to all aspects of the article. Y.L., Y.J. and S.Y. researched data for the article. S.C. and H.Y. reviewed and edited the manuscript before submission. All authors contributed substantially to the discussion of the energy comparison.

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Hwang, E., Hong, H., Lee, Y. et al. Van der Waals materials for energy-efficient electronic devices. Nat Rev Mater (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-025-00886-z

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