Ion Beam Modification of Two-Dimensional Materials

Ion beam modification harnesses energetic ions to engineer the atomic and electronic structure of atomically thin materials. By precisely controlling ion species, energy and fluence, researchers can introduce defects, tune electronic properties and sculpt nanometre-scale features in monolayers such as graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides and novel two-dimensional semiconductors. This approach ranges from low-energy implantation that selectively substitutes or adsorbs atoms at defect sites to high-energy bombardment that perforates or cross-links layers. Ion-induced vacancies and dopants alter charge transport, optical response and chemical reactivity, enabling tailored functionality for nanoelectronics, sensing, spintronics and membrane technologies. Substrate choice, beam incidence angle and post-irradiation annealing further modulate defect yield and evolution, offering a versatile toolbox for the rational design of next-generation atomically thin devices.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Studies have probed the ultrafast response of freestanding graphene to highly charged ions, revealing that single ion impacts generate local currents exceeding conventional breakdown limits on femtosecond timescales without perforating the lattice. Molecular simulations show rapid multi-electron dynamics underpinning this resilience and inform the design of radiation-hard nanoelectronics. In efforts to reinforce multilayer assemblies, focused ion beam irradiation has been used to cross-link stacked graphene sheets, producing three-dimensional carbon networks with enhanced tensile strength and potential as filtration membranes or storage foams. Investigations of proton and heavy ion irradiation on WSe2/SiC vertical heterostructures demonstrate that transition metal dichalcogenides retain structural integrity under MeV-level beams, while oxidation and band-offset shifts occur only at fluences above practical device thresholds, indicating that substrate and dielectric damage are often the limiting factors in space-hard electronics.

Ion Beam Modification of Two-Dimensional Materials publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in ion beam modification of two-dimensional materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Ion fluence: Number of ions incident per unit area, determining defect density.

Focused ion beam (FIB): A technique that uses a tightly collimated ion beam for nanoscale milling, patterning or modification.

Sputter yield: Average number of atoms ejected from a material per incoming ion, reflecting collision efficiency.

Monolayer: A single atomic or molecular layer forming the thinnest possible two-dimensional sheet.

Vacancy defect: Missing atoms in the lattice that alter electronic and mechanical properties.

Substitutional doping: Incorporation of foreign atoms into lattice sites to modify electronic behaviour.

References

1. Roadmap toward Controlled Ion Beam‐Induced Defects in 2D Materials. Advanced Functional Materials (2024).
2. Lateral Controlled Doping and Defect Engineering of Graphene by Ultra-Low-Energy Ion Implantation. Nanomaterials (2023).
3. Ultrafast electronic response of graphene to a strong and localized electric field. Nature Communications (2016).
4. Constructing a three-dimensional graphene structure via bonding layers by ion beam irradiation. Scientific Reports (2019).
5. Effects of energetic ion irradiation on WSe2/SiC heterostructures. Scientific Reports (2017).
6. Low-energy Se ion implantation in MoS2 monolayers. npj 2D Materials and Applications (2022).