Screw Dislocation Mechanisms in Two-Dimensional Material Growth
Summary
Two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted intense interest due to their exceptional electronic, optical and mechanical properties. A central challenge in their synthesis is the control of lateral crystal size, stacking order and morphological uniformity. Screw dislocations—line defects that introduce a helical mismatch in the crystal lattice—provide a robust mechanism for continuous layer growth under low supersaturation. In this mode, atoms attach preferentially at the step edges created by the dislocation core, giving rise to spiral or pyramid-shaped islands rather than conventional layer-by-layer terraces. Such spirals can feature broken inversion symmetry, unique stacking sequences and built-in chirality, which in turn influence interlayer coupling, excitonic processes and optical selection rules. The screw dislocation-driven (SDD) mechanism also offers energy-efficient routes to large-scale 2D film formation, since continual growth at the dislocation step circumvents the need for nucleation of new layers. Recent advances in in situ microscopy and atomistic modelling have elucidated the kinetics of screw-mediated step propagation, the interplay between substrate interaction and supersaturation level, and the transition between screw- and edge-driven growth regimes. These insights underpin the rational design of synthesis protocols for high-quality 2D crystals with tailored morphology, stacking order and functional properties.
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Screw Dislocation Mechanisms in Two-Dimensional Material Growth publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in screw dislocation mechanisms in two-dimensional material growth across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Screw dislocation: A line defect in a crystal lattice where the atomic planes form a helical ramp around a central core, facilitating continuous layer growth.
Burgers vector: A vector that quantifies the magnitude and direction of lattice distortion around a dislocation.
Two-dimensional material (2D material): A crystalline substance consisting of a single layer or few layers of atoms, with strong in-plane bonds and weak interlayer interactions.
Moiré superlattice: A periodic pattern formed when two crystalline layers are overlaid with a small twist angle or lattice mismatch, leading to an emergent long-range modulation.
References
- Graphite rapidly forms via annihilation of screw dislocations. Carbon (2023).
- PVD growth of spiral pyramid-shaped WS2 on SiO2/Si driven by screw dislocations. Frontiers in Chemistry (2023).
- Solvothermal growth of moiré superlattices in antimony telluride spiral-type nanoplates. Frontiers in Materials (2022).
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