The success of graphene has spurred tremendous expectations and research efforts in the development of novel 2D materials with outstanding properties. A large variety of electronic structures, including band gaps and collective ground states, can be found in the direct analogs of graphene such as its insulating counterpart the hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) or monolayers of transition-metal dichalcogenides, e.g. MoTe2.

In this talk, I will explore the epitaxial growth of 2D materials and hybrid structures on carefully chosen substrates. The quality of the resulting layers, their physical properties and their interaction with substrates will be examined by high-resolution scanning probe microscopy and first-principle calculations.