News: Suppliers
30 March 2026
Warwick- and Southampton-led UK project to develop electro-deposition of transition-metal dichalcogenides
The EXPRESS program, a five-year, £10.4m UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)-funded project led by the University of Warwick and University of Southampton, is to support the development of next-generation transistor and optoelectronic devices.
The program will explore new electrochemical approaches combined with novel precursor chemistry to grow transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) — layered semiconductors with potential applications in ultra-low-power electronics, neuromorphic computing, photonic circuits, and quantum technologies.
“TMDCs have enormous potential for future transistor and optoelectronic devices, but producing them reliably, at scale, and with high levels of crystallinity, remains a major challenge,” notes Warwick lead, professor Julie Macpherson of the Department of Chemistry. “This program brings together expertise across chemistry, physics and electronics to explore new ways of controlling how these materials form, which will help unlock their use in next-generation devices.”
The team will investigate a novel approach based on electro-deposition methodology, guided by specially designed molecules that help to control how the materials assemble and grow. This approach will allow TMDCs to be grown directly within three-dimensional electronic structures, avoiding complex transfer steps and enabling more reliable testing of their properties.
“Layered 2D semiconductors offer great potential for creating the faster, more energy-efficient devices that the world needs,” comments Southampton lead, professor Gill Reid. “We are exploring a new electro-deposition-based method to precisely control the growth of these layered materials, making semiconductor chips easier to produce,” she adds. “It’s a simple idea that we hope will turn a massive challenge into a major opportunity for future tech. The breadth of expertise across the EXPRESS team is what makes this program possible.”
Alongside advancing semiconductor technologies, the program will support and train early-career researchers, helping to build UK capability in advanced materials and electronics.
