Controllable growth of two-dimensional h-GaTe with screw dislocations

As a representative p-type semiconductor, two-dimensional GaTe has recently attracted considerable attention due to its promising applications in future integrated electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, h-GaTe thin films were grown on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. By adjusting the growth temperature and source flux, h-GaTe thin films with various morphologies were obtained. Particularly, h-GaTe with screw dislocations can be achieved. The morphology, surface structure, and composition of the h-GaTe films were characterized using atomic force microscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This work provides new opportunities for h-GaTe as a candidate material in electronic and optoelectronic devices.