In a landmark advancement, researchers from the International Center for Quantum Materials at Peking University in collaboration with Renmin University have achieved “a historic breakthrough in crystal growth”, according to reviewers at Science magazine where the research was published in July.
The team successfully fabricated wafer-scale two-dimensional (2D) indium selenide (InSe) semiconductors.
Led by Professor Liu Kaihui, the team developed a novel “solid–liquid–solid” growth strategy that overcomes long-standing barriers in 2D semiconductor manufacturing.
Published in Science under the title “Two-dimensional indium selenide wafers for integrated electronics,” the study demonstrates exceptional electronic performance, surpassing all previously reported 2D film-based devices.
The fabricated InSe transistors exhibit ultra-high electron mobility and a near-Boltzmann-limit subthreshold swing at room temperature, establishing a new benchmark for 2D semiconductors.
This breakthrough opens a new pathway for the development of next-generation, high-performance, low-power chips, which are expected to be applied widely in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, and smart terminals in the future.
When the new InSe chip technology reaches maturity and enters into mass production, China will not only have won the chip war but have “exited the battlefield” altogether by mastering a new law of atomic physics.
Few will be surprised to learn that China dominates the global supply of indium and, by extension, controls much of the supply chain for indium selenide, as indium is its primary raw material.
Though indium is not a rare earth element, China has a dominant global share at over 60% which stems from its vast production and refining capacity, with the metal primarily extracted as a byproduct of zinc and lead smelting.
While this achievement won’t kill silicon tomorrow, it represents a genuine strategic leap. It signals that while the West has been focused on blockading the current technological paradigm, China is aggressively working to invent the next one.
The success of the Chinese research team reveals a profound story about the future of technology, geopolitics, and the very materials that will power our world.
Let’s unpack how the breakthrough is achieved, what it means for China, and the future of semiconductors.
