Wafer-Scale Growth of 2D MoS₂: Synthesis Strategies, Parameter Regulation, and Device Applications

In the post-Moore's Law era, molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) emerges as a promising candidate among two-dimensional (2D) materials for industrial deployment, owing to its favorable combination of a moderate bandgap, stable n-type charge transport, environmental robustness, and silicon-compatible processing capabilities. Nevertheless, the high-quality growth of wafer-scale 2D MoS₂ films and precise control over their layer number remain key challenges that hinder their practical implementation in electronic and optoelectronic devices. Chronologically, this review systematically surveys tailored chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-based routes for wafer-scale MoS₂ thin-film growth, including thermal CVD, low-pressure CVD (LPCVD), metal-organic CVD (MOCVD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), and two-step vapor deposition (TSVD). We further benchmark these CVD-derived approaches against alternative techniques, such as pulsed-laser deposition (PLD), molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE), and Au-assisted exfoliation, evaluating the resulting 2D MoS₂ films in terms of crystal quality, throughput, contamination/transfer risks, and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, we systematically summarize the effects of critical growth parameters on wafer-scale 2D MoS₂ synthesis, encompassing precursor selection (molybdenum and sulfur sources), substrate choice, deposition equipment, and key process conditions (e.g., catalysts, temperature, atmosphere, and pressure). This review also discusses the potential applications of MoS₂ thin films in integrated circuits, highlighting high-performance transistors and flexible sensors as representative examples. Ultimately, this review aims to provide a comprehensive roadmap for achieving high-quality, wafer-scale 2D MoS₂ growth, thereby supporting ongoing innovation and technological advancement in next-generation electronic devices including logic FETs, photodetectors, and chemical/biological sensors.