Editorial for two-dimensional materials-based heterostructures for next-generation nanodevices

Heterostructures, such as van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, provide a versatile platform for engineering the physical properties of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials, spanning electronics, mechanics, optics, as well as electron-phonon couplings. Furthermore, vdW heterostructures, which are composed of metal/semiconductor or semiconductor/semiconductor combinations, not only maintain the unique properties of their individual constituents but also exhibit tunable physical and chemical properties that can be externally adjusted through strain, heat, and electric fields. These externally tunable properties offer significant advances in the fields of solid-state devices and renewable energy applications. Additionally, 2D material-based heterostructures, such as those composed of 0D clusters or quantum dots, as well as 1D nanotubes/wires in combination with 2D materials, also show immense potential for advancing next-generation nanodevices. The vast design space of vdW heterostructures enables their versatile applications spanning numerous fields, such as light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors, photocatalysis, solar cells, photodetectors, and so on. In the Special Issue ofJournal of Physics: Condensed Matter, entitled 'Two-dimensional Materials-based Heterostructures for Next-generation Nanodevices', we have gathered a comprehensive collection of 14 articles, presenting the latest achievements in the fields of designing novel 2D materials and 2D heterostructures. Below, we have briefly condensed the essential research findings from these studies.