Influence of stoichiometry on the optical and electrical properties of chemical vapor deposition derived MoS2

Direct Characterization of Buried Interfaces in 2D/3D Heterostructures Enabled by GeO2 Release Layer

Inconsistent interface control in devices based on two-dimensional materials (2DMs) has limited technological maturation. Astounding variability of 2D/three-dimensional (2D/3D) interface properties has been reported, which has been exacerbated by the lack of direct investigations of buried interfaces commonly found in devices. Herein, we demonstrate a new process that enables the assembly and isolation of device-relevant heterostructures for buried interface characterization. This is achieved by implementing a water-soluble substrate (GeO2), which enables deposition of many materials onto the 2DM and subsequent heterostructure release by dissolving the GeO2 substrate. Here, we utilize this novel approach to compare how the chemistry, doping, and strain in monolayer MoS2 heterostructures fabricated by direct deposition vary from those fabricated by transfer techniques to show how interface properties differ with the heterostructure fabrication method. Direct deposition of thick Ni and Ti films is found to react with the monolayer MoS2. These interface reactions convert 50% of MoS2 into intermetallic species, which greatly exceeds the 10% conversion reported previously and 0% observed in transfer-fabricated heterostructures. We also measure notable differences in MoS2 carrier concentration depending on the heterostructure fabrication method. Direct deposition of thick Au, Ni, and Al2O3 films onto MoS2 increases the hole concentration by >1012 cm-2 compared to heterostructures fabricated by transferring MoS2 onto these materials. Thus, we demonstrate a universal method to fabricate 2D/3D heterostructures and expose buried interfaces for direct characterization.

Healing Donor Defect States in CVD-Grown MoS2 Field-Effect Transistors Using Oxygen Plasma with a Channel-Protecting Barrier

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ), a metal dichalcogenide, is a promising channel material for highly integrated scalable transistors. However, intrinsic donor defect states, such as sulfur vacancies (Vs ), can degrade the channel properties and lead to undesired n-doping. A method for healing the donor defect states in monolayer MoS2 is proposed using oxygen plasma, with an aluminum oxide (Al2 O3 ) barrier layer that protects the MoS2 channel from damage by plasma treatment. Successful healing of donor defect states in MoS2 by oxygen atoms, even in the presence of an Al2 O3 barrier layer, is confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopy. Despite the decrease in 2D sheet carrier concentration (Δn2D = -3.82×1012 cm-2 ), the proposed approach increases the on-current and mobility by 18% and 44% under optimal conditions, respectively. Metal-insulator transition occurs at electron concentrations of 5.7×1012 cm-2 and reflects improved channel quality. Finally, the activation energy (Ea ) reduces at all the gate voltages (VG ) owing to a decrease in Vs , which act as a localized state after the oxygen plasma treatment. This study demonstrates the feasibility of plasma-assisted healing of defects in 2D materials and electrical property enhancement and paves the way for the development of next-generation electronic devices.

Controlling Morphology and Excitonic Disorder in Monolayer WSe2 Grown by Salt-Assisted CVD Methods

Chemical synthesis is a compelling alternative to top-down fabrication for controlling the size, shape, and composition of two-dimensional (2D) crystals. Precision tuning of the 2D crystal structure has broad implications for the discovery of new phenomena and the reliable implementation of these materials in optoelectronic, photovoltaic, and quantum devices. However, precise and predictable manipulation of the edge structure in 2D crystals through gas-phase synthesis is still a formidable challenge. Here, we demonstrate a salt-assisted low-pressure chemical vapor deposition method that enables tuning W metal flux during growth of 2D WSe2 monolayers and, thereby, direct control of their edge structure and optical properties. The degree of structural disorder in 2D WSe2 is a direct function of the W metal flux, which is controlled by adjusting the mass ratio of WO3 to NaCl. This edge disorder then couples to excitonic disorder, which manifests as broadened and spatially varying emission profiles. Our work links synthetic parameters with analyses of material morphology and optical properties to provide a unified understanding of intrinsic limits and opportunities in synthetic 2D materials.

A polydiolcitrate-MoS2 composite for 3D printing Radio-opaque, Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds

Implantable polymeric biodegradable devices, such as biodegradable vascular stents or scaffolds, cannot be fully visualized using standard X-ray-based techniques, compromising their performance due to malposition after deployment. To address this challenge, we describe composites of methacrylated poly(1,12 dodecamethylene citrate) (mPDC) and MoS2 nanosheets to fabricate novel X-ray visible radiopaque and photocurable liquid polymer-ceramic composite (mPDC-MoS2). The composite was used as an ink with micro continuous liquid interface production (μCLIP) to fabricate bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS). Prints exhibited excellent crimping and expansion mechanics without strut failures and, importantly, required X-ray visibility in air and muscle tissue. Notably, MoS2 nanosheets displayed physical degradation over time in a PBS environment, indicating the potential for producing bioresorbable devices. mPDC-MoS2 is a promising bioresorbable X-ray-visible composite material suitable for 3D printing medical devices, particularly vascular scaffolds or stents, that require non-invasive X-ray-based monitoring techniques for implantation and evaluation. This innovative composite system holds significant promise for the development of biocompatible and highly visible medical implants, potentially enhancing patient outcomes and reducing medical complications.

Temperature-Dependent Structural and Electrical Properties of Metal-Organic CVD MoS2 Films

Metal-Organic CVD method (MOCVD) allows for deposition of ultrathin 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) films of electronic quality onto wafer-scale substrates. In this work, the effect of temperature on structure, chemical states, and electronic qualities of the MOCVD MoS2 films were investigated. The results demonstrate that the temperature increase in the range of 650 °C to 950 °C results in non-monotonic average crystallite size variation. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy investigation has established the film crystal structure improvement with temperature increase in this range. At the same time, X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) method allowed to reveal non-stoichiometric phase fraction increase, corresponding to increased sulfur vacancies (VS) concentration from approximately 0.9 at.% to 3.6 at.%. Established dependency between the crystallite domains size and VS concentration suggests that these vacancies are form predominantly at the grain boundaries. The results suggest that an increased Vs concentration and enhanced charge carriers scattering at the grains' boundaries should be the primary reasons of films' resistivity increase from 4 kΩ·cm to 39 kΩ·cm.

Extracellular polymeric substances altered the physicochemical properties of molybdenum disulfide nanomaterials to mitigate its toxicity to Chlorella vulgaris

Although the toxic effects of two-dimensional nanomaterials (2D-NMs) have been widely reported, the influence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on the environmental fate and risk of 2D-NMs in aquatic environments is largely unknown, and the processes and mechanisms involved remain to be revealed. Herein, we investigated the impact of EPS secreted by microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris)) on the environmental transformation and risk of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). We found that the attachment of EPS increased the thickness of MoS2 (from 2 nm to 5 nm), changed it from a monolayer sheet to a fuzzy multilayer structure, and promoted the formation of defects on MoS2. The blue-shift of the peak associated with the plasmon resonances in the 1 T phase and the generation of electron-hole pairs suggested that EPS altered the surface electronic structure of MoS2. EPS interacted mainly with the S atoms on the 1 T phase, and the attachment of EPS promoted the oxidation of MoS2. The reduction in hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) and the decrease in zeta potential indicated that EPS inhibited the agglomeration behavior of MoS2 and enhanced its dispersion and stability in aqueous media. Notably, EPS reduced the generation of free radicals (superoxide anion (•O2-), singlet oxygen (1O2), and hydroxyl radicals (•OH-)). Furthermore, EPS mitigated the toxicity of MoS2 to C. vulgaris, such as attenuated reduction in biomass and chlorophyll content. Compared to pristine MoS2, MoS2 + BG11 + EPS exhibited weaker oxidative stress, membrane damage and lipid peroxidation. The adsorption of EPS on MoS2 surface reduced the attachment sites of MoS2, making MoS2 less likely to be enriched on the cell surface. The findings have significant contribution for understanding the interactions between EPS and MoS2 in aquatic ecosystems, providing scientific guidance for risk assessment of 2D-NMs.

CVD Synthesis of MoS2 Using a Direct MoO2 Precursor: A Study on the Effects of Growth Temperature on Precursor Diffusion and Morphology Evolutions

In this study, the influence of growth temperature variation on the synthesis of MoS2 using a direct MoO2 precursor was investigated. The research showed that the growth temperature had a strong impact on the resulting morphologies. Below 650 °C, no nucleation or growth of MoS2 occurred. The optimal growth temperature for producing continuous MoS2 films without intermediate-state formation was approximately 760 °C. However, when the growth temperatures exceeded 800 °C, a transition from pure MoS2 to predominantly intermediate states was observed. This was attributed to enhanced diffusion of the precursor at higher temperatures, which reduced the local S:Mo ratio. The diffusion equation was analyzed, showing how the diffusion coefficient, diffusion length, and concentration gradients varied with temperature, consistent with the experimental observations. This study also investigated the impact of increasing the MoO2 precursor amount, resulting in the formation of multilayer MoS2 domains at the outermost growth zones. These findings provide valuable insights into the growth criteria for the effective synthesis of clean and large-area MoS2, thereby facilitating its application in semiconductors and related industries.

Nucleation and Growth of Monolayer MoS2 at Multisteps of MoO2 Crystals by Sulfurization

Two-dimensional (2D) materials and their heterostructures are promising for next-generation optoelectronics, spintronics, valleytronics, and electronics. Despite recent progress in various growth studies of 2D materials, mechanical exfoliation of flakes is still the most common method to obtain high-quality 2D materials because precisely controlling material growth and synthesizing a single domain during the growth process of 2D materials, for the desired shape and quality, is challenging. Here, we report the nucleation and growth behaviors of monolayer MoS₂ by sulfurizing a faceted monoclinic MoO₂ crystal. The MoS₂ layers nucleated at the thickness steps of the MoO₂ crystal and grew epitaxially with crystalline correlation to the MoO₂ surface. The epitaxially grown MoS₂ layer expands outwardly on the SiO₂ substrate, resulting in a monolayer single-crystal film, despite multiple nucleations of MoS₂ layers on the MoO₂ surface owing to several thickness steps. Although the photoluminescence of MoS₂ is quenched owing to efficient charge transfer between MoS₂ and metallic MoO₂, the MoS₂ stretched out to the SiO₂ substrate shows a high carrier mobility of (15 cm² V^-1 s^-1), indicating that a high-quality monolayer MoS₂ film can be grown using the MoO₂ crystal as a seed and precursor. Our work shows a method to grow high-quality MoS₂ using a faceted MoO₂ crystal and provides a deeper understanding of the nucleation and growth of 2D materials on a step-like surface.

Ultrafast and Resist-Free Nanopatterning of 2D Materials by Femtosecond Laser Irradiation

The performance of two-dimensional (2D) materials is promising for electronic, photonic, and sensing devices since they possess large surface-to-volume ratios, high mechanical strength, and broadband light sensitivity. While significant advances have been made in synthesizing and transferring 2D materials onto different substrates, there is still the need for scalable patterning of 2D materials with nanoscale precision. Conventional lithography methods require protective layers such as resist or metals that can contaminate or degrade the 2D materials and deteriorate the final device performance. Current resist-free patterning methods are limited in throughput and typically require custom-made equipment. To address these limitations, we demonstrate the noncontact and resist-free patterning of platinum diselenide (PtSe₂), molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), and graphene layers with nanoscale precision at high processing speed while preserving the integrity of the surrounding material. We use a commercial, off-the-shelf two-photon 3D printer to directly write patterns in the 2D materials with features down to 100 nm at a maximum writing speed of 50 mm/s. We successfully remove a continuous film of 2D material from a 200 μm × 200 μm substrate area in less than 3 s. Since two-photon 3D printers are becoming increasingly available in research laboratories and industrial facilities, we expect this method to enable fast prototyping of devices based on 2D materials across various research areas.

Vapor-Liquid-Solid Growth of Site-Controlled Monolayer MoS2 Films Via Pressure-Induc ed Supercritical Phase Nucleation

In this study, a novel pressure-induced supercritical phase nucleation method is proposed to synthesize monolayer MoS₂ films, which is promoter free and can avoid contamination of films derived from these heterogeneous promoters in most of the existing techniques. The low-crystallinity and size-controlled MoO₂(acac)₂ particles are recrystallized on the substrate via the pressure-sensitive solvent capacity of supercritical CO₂ and these particles are used as growth sites. The size of single-crystal MoS₂ on the substrate is found to be dependent on the wetting area of the pyrolyzed precursor droplets (MoO₂) on the surface, and the formation of continuous films with high coverage is mainly controlled by the coalescence of MoO₂ droplets. It is enhanced by the increase of the nucleation site density, which can be adjusted by the supersaturation of the supercritical fluid solution. Our findings pave a new way for the controllable growth of MoS₂ and other two-dimensional materials and provide sufficient and valuable evidence for vapor-liquid-solid growth.

A critical review of fabrication challenges and reliability issues in top/bottom gated MoS2field-effect transistors

The voyage of semiconductor industry to decrease the size of transistors to achieve superior device performance seems to near its physical dimensional limitations. The quest is on to explore emerging material systems that offer dimensional scaling to match the silicon- based technologies. The discovery of atomic flat two-dimensional materials has opened up a completely new avenue to fabricate transistors at sub-10 nanometer level which has the potential to compete with modern silicon-based semiconductor devices. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is a two-dimensional layered material with novel semiconducting properties at atomic level seems like a promising candidate that can possibly meet the expectation of Moore's law. This review discusses the various 'fabrication challenges' in making MoS₂based electronic devices from start to finish. The review outlines the intricate challenges of substrate selection and various synthesis methods of mono layer and few-layer MoS₂. The review focuses on the various techniques and methods to minimize interface defect density at substrate/MoS₂interface for optimum MoS₂-based device performance. The tunable band-gap of MoS₂with varying thickness presents a unique opportunity for contact engineering to mitigate the contact resistance issue using different elemental metals. In this work, we present a comprehensive overview of different types of contact materials with myriad geometries that show a profound impact on device performance. The choice of different insulating/dielectric gate oxides on MoS₂in co-planar and vertical geometry is critically reviewed and the physical feasibility of the same is discussed. The experimental constraints of different encapsulation techniques on MoS₂and its effect on structural and electronic properties are extensively discussed.

Surface Defects Regulate the in Vivo Bioenergetic Response of Earthworm Eisenia fetida Coelomocytes to Molybdenum Disulfide Nanosheets

Two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (2D MoS₂) nanomaterials are seeing increased use in several areas, and this will lead to their inevitable release into soils. Surface defects can occur on MoS₂ nanosheets during synthesis or during environmental aging processes. The mechanisms of MoS₂ nanosheet toxicity to soil invertebrates and the role of surface defects in that toxicity have not been fully elucidated. We integrated traditional toxicity end points, targeted energy metabolomics, and transcriptomics to compare the mechanistic differences in the toxicity of defect-free and defect-rich MoS₂ nanosheets (DF-MoS₂ and DR-MoS₂) to Eisenia fetida using a coelomocyte-based in vivo assessment model. After organism-level exposure to DF-MoS₂ for 96 h at 10 and 100 mg Mo/L, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were elevated by 25.6-96.6% and the activity of mitochondrial respiratory electron transport chain (Mito-RETC) complex III was inhibited by 9.7-19.4%. The tricarboxylic acid cycling and glycolysis were also disrupted. DF-MoS₂ preferentially up-regulated subcellular component motility processes related to microtubules and caused mitochondrial fission. Unlike DF-MoS₂, DR-MoS₂ triggered an increased degree of mitochondrial fusion, as well as more severe oxidative stress. The activities of Mito-RETC complexes (I, III, IV, V) associated with oxidative phosphorylation were significantly inhibited by 22.8-68.6%. Meanwhile, apoptotic pathways were activated upon DR-MoS₂ exposure, which together with the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, mediated significant apoptosis. In turn, genes related to cellular homeostasis and energy release were up-regulated to compensate for DR-MoS₂-induced energy deprivation. Our study indicates that MoS₂ nanosheets have nanospecific effects on E. fetida and also that the role of surface defects from synthesis or that accumulate from environmental impacts needs to be fully considered when evaluating the toxicity of these 2D materials.

Highly Efficient Deposition of Centimeter-Scale MoS2 Monolayer Film on Dragontrail Glass with Large Single-Crystalline Domains

Highly efficient growth of a centimeter-scale MoS₂ monolayer film by oxide scale sublimation chemical vapor deposition (OSSCVD) in a time as short as 60 s is reported. Benefiting from the superior catalytic ability of Dragontrail glass (DT-glass) substrate and the controlled large vapor supersaturation of the molybdenum source, the ultrafast deposition of MoS₂ is realized with maintaining large-sized single-crystalline domains over 20 µm at maximum in the film. It is comparable to those reported for MoS₂ grown in tens of minutes and even hours. Similar to the face-to-face precursor feed route, the gas-controlled OSSCVD with a showerhead configuration facilitates a homogeneous and controllable source supply. It enables high-quality monolayer MoS₂ film deposition on 2 × 2 cm² DT-glass with centimeter-scale uniformity confirmed by microscopic, spectroscopic, and electrical characterizations. Back-gate MoS₂ field-effect transistors fabricated on polycrystalline continuous film exhibit the maximum field-effect mobility of 5.1 cm² V^-1 s^-1 and a peak I_on /I_off ratio of 5 × 10⁸ . They reach 40 cm²  V^-1  s^-1 and 1.2 × 10⁹ , respectively, on single-crystalline domains. These results are even greater than those for MoS₂ grown using 1-2 orders of magnitude longer deposition time and higher temperatures. This study highlights the opportunities for low-cost high-throughput production of large-area high-quality monolayer MoS₂ .

Defect-engineered room temperature negative differential resistance in monolayer MoS2 transistors

The negative differential resistance (NDR) effect has been widely investigated for the development of various electronic devices. Apart from traditional semiconductor-based devices, two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD)-based field-effect transistors (FETs) have also recently exhibited NDR behavior in several of their heterostructures. However, to observe NDR in the form of monolayer MoS₂, theoretical prediction has revealed that the material should be more profoundly affected by sulfur (S) vacancy defects. In this work, monolayer MoS₂ FETs with a specific amount of S-vacancy defects are fabricated using three approaches, namely chemical treatment (KOH solution), physical treatment (electron beam bombardment), and as-grown MoS₂. Based on systematic studies on the correlation of the S-vacancies with both the device's electron transport characteristics and spectroscopic analysis, the NDR has been clearly observed in the defect-engineered monolayer MoS₂ FETs with an S-vacancy (V_S) amount of ∼5 ± 0.5%. Consequently, stable NDR behavior can be observed at room temperature, and its peak-to-valley ratio can also be effectively modulated via the gate electric field and light intensity. Through these results, it is envisioned that more electronic applications based on defect-engineered layered TMDs will emerge in the near future.

All-Gas-Phase Synthesis of Heterolayered Two-Dimensional Nanohybrids Decorated with Metallic Nanocatalysts for Water Splitting

Herein, a sequential gas-phase process involving air jet milling followed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), is demonstrated to be an efficient strategy for the fabrication of heterolayered 2D nanohybrids (2DNHs) decorated with nanocatalysts. Tens of grams of the nanohybrids, which is a substantial quantity at the laboratory scale, are produced in the absence of solvents and water, and without the need for an extra purification procedure. Air jet milling enables the development of binary/ternary heterolayered structures consisting of graphene, WSe₂ , and/or MoS₂ via the gas-phase co-exfoliation of their bulk counterparts. Based on the X-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopy data, the heterolayers of the 2DNHs exert chemical and electronic effects on each other, while diminishing the interactions between same-component layers. Moreover, the electrochemically active surface area increases by >190% and the charge transfer resistance decreases by >35%. CVD is performed to introduce Pt and Ru nanoparticles with diameters of a few nanometers as additional electrocatalysts into the 2DNHs. The nanocatalyst-decorated 2DNHs show excellent performance for the production of hydrogen and oxygen gases in water-splitting cells. Notably, the proposed all-gas-phase processes allow for the large-scale production of functional 2DNHs with minimal negative environmental impact, which is crucial for the commercialization of nanomaterials.

Homogeneously niobium-doped MoS2 for rapid and high-sensitive detection of typical chemical warfare agents

Rapid detection of Chemical Warfare Agents (CWAs) is of great significance in protecting civilians in public places and military personnel on the battlefield. Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets (NSs) can be integrated as a gas sensor at room temperature (25°C) due to their large specific surface area and excellent semiconductor properties. However, low sensitivity and long response-recovery time hinder the pure MoS2 application in CWAs gas sensors. In this work, we developed a CWAs sensor based on in-situ niobium-doped MoS2 NSs (Nb-MoS2 NSs) via direct chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) growth. Characterization results show that the high content of Nb elements (7.8 at%) are homogeneously dispersed on the large-area 2D structure of MoS2. The Nb-MoS2 NSs-based CWAs sensor exhibits higher sensitivity (−2.09% and −3.95% to 0.05 mg/m3 sarin and sulfur mustard, respectively) and faster response speed (78 s and 30 s to 0.05 mg/m3 sarin and sulfur mustard, respectively) than MoS2 and other 2D materials at room temperature. And the sensor has certain specificity for sarin and sulfur mustard and is especially sensitive to sulfur mustard. This can be attributed to the improvement of adsorption properties via electronic regulation of Nb doping. This is the first report about CWAs detection based on two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) sensing materials, which demonstrates that the high sensitivity, rapid response, and low limit of detection of 2D TMDs-based CWAs sensor can meet the monitoring needs of many scenarios, thus showing a strong application potential.

NaCl-Assisted Temperature-Dependent Controllable Growth of Large-Area MoS2 Crystals Using Confined-Space CVD

Due to its semiconducting nature, controlled growth of large-area chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has a lot of potential applications in photodetectors, sensors, and optoelectronics. Yet the controllable, large-area, and cost-effective growth of highly crystalline MoS₂ remains a challenge. Confined-space CVD is a very promising method for the growth of highly crystalline MoS₂ in a controlled manner. Herein, we report the large-scale growth of MoS₂ with different morphologies using NaCl as a seeding promoter for confined-space CVD. Changes in the morphologies of MoS₂ are reported by variation in the amount of seeding promoter, precursor ratio, and the growth temperature. Furthermore, the properties of the grown MoS₂ are analyzed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The electrical properties of the CVD-grown MoS₂ show promising performance from fabricated field-effect transistors. This work provides new insight into the growth of large-area MoS₂ and opens the way for its various optoelectronic and electronic applications.

NaCl-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition of Large-Domain Bilayer MoS2 on Soda-Lime Glass

In recent years, two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has attracted extensive attention in the application field of next-generation electronics. Compared with single-layer MoS₂, bilayer MoS₂ has higher carrier mobility and has more promising applications for future novel electronic devices. Nevertheless, the large-scale low-cost synthesis of high-quality bilayer MoS₂ still has much room for exploration, requiring further research. In this study, bilayer MoS₂ crystals grown on soda-lime glass substrate by sodium chloride (NaCl)-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) were reported, the growth mechanism of NaCl in CVD of bilayer MoS₂ was analyzed, and the effects of molybdenum trioxide (Mo) mass and growth pressure on the growth of bilayer MoS₂ under the assistance of NaCl were further explored. Through characterization with an optical microscope, atomic force microscopy and Raman analyzer, the domain size of bilayer MoS₂ prepared by NaCl-assisted CVD was shown to reach 214 μm, which is a 4.2X improvement of the domain size of bilayer MoS₂ prepared without NaCl-assisted CVD. Moreover, the bilayer structure accounted for about 85%, which is a 2.1X improvement of bilayer MoS₂ prepared without NaCl-assisted CVD. This study provides a meaningful method for the growth of high-quality bilayer MoS₂, and promotes the large-scale and low-cost applications of CVD MoS₂.

Molybdenum(IV) dithiocarboxylates as single-source precursors for AACVD of MoS2 thin films

Tetrakis(dithiocarboxylato)molybdenum(IV) complexes of the type Mo(S2CR)4 (R = Me, Et, iPr, Ph) were synthesized, characterized, and prescreened as precursors for aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) of MoS2 thin films. The thermal behavior of the complexes as determined by TGA and GC-MS was appropriate for AACVD, although the complexes were not sufficiently volatile for conventional CVD bubbler systems. Thin films of MoS2 were grown by AACVD at 500 °C from solutions of Mo(S2CMe)4 in toluene. The films were characterized by GIXRD diffraction patterns which correspond to a 2H-MoS2 structure in the deposited film. Mo-S bonding in 2H-MoS2 was further confirmed by XPS and EDS. The film morphology, vertically oriented structure, and thickness (2.54 μm) were evaluated by FE-SEM. The Raman E12g and A1g vibrational modes of crystalline 2H-MoS2 were observed. These results demonstrate the use of dithiocarboxylato ligands for the chemical vapor deposition of metal sulfides.

Fast-Response Flexible Temperature Sensors with Atomically Thin Molybdenum Disulfide

Real-time thermal sensing on flexible substrates could enable a plethora of new applications. However, achieving fast, sub-millisecond response times even in a single sensor is difficult, due to the thermal mass of the sensor and encapsulation. Here, we fabricate flexible monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) temperature sensors and arrays, which can detect temperature changes within a few microseconds, over 100× faster than flexible thin-film metal sensors. Thermal simulations indicate the sensors' response time is only limited by the MoS₂ interfaces and encapsulation. The sensors also have high temperature coefficient of resistance, ∼1-2%/K and stable operation upon cycling and long-term measurement when they are encapsulated with alumina. These results, together with their biocompatibility, make these devices excellent candidates for biomedical sensor arrays and many other Internet of Things applications.

Defect-Rich Molybdenum Sulfide Quantum Dots for Amplified Photoluminescence and Photonics-Driven Reactive Oxygen Species Generation

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) quantum dots (QDs) with defects have attracted interesting chemistry due to the contribution of vacancies to their unique optical, physical, catalytic, and electrical properties. Engineering defined defects into molybdenum sulfide (MoS₂ ) QDs is challenging. Herein, by applying a mild biomineralization-assisted bottom-up strategy, blue photoluminescent MoS₂ QDs (B-QDs) with a high density of defects are fabricated. The two-stage synthesis begins with a bottom-up synthesis of original MoS₂ QDs (O-QDs) through chemical reactions of Mo and sulfide ions, followed by alkaline etching that creates high sulfur-vacancy defects to eventually form B-QDs. Alkaline etching significantly increases the photoluminescence (PL) and photo-oxidation. An increase in defect density is shown to bring about increased active sites and decreased bandgap energy; which is further validated with density functional theory calculations. There is strengthened binding affinity between QDs and O₂ due to lower gap energy (∆E_ST ) between S₁ and T₁ , accompanied with improved intersystem crossing (ISC) efficiency. Lowered gap energy contributes to assist e^- -h⁺ pair formation and the strengthened binding affinity between QDs and ³ O₂ . Defect engineering unravels another dimension of material properties control and can bring fresh new applications to otherwise well characterized TMD nanomaterials.

MoS2 Defect Healing for High-Performance Chemical Sensing of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

The increasing population and industrial development are responsible for environmental pollution. Among toxic chemicals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are highly carcinogenic contaminants resulting from the incomplete combustion of organic materials. Two-dimensional materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), are ideal sensory scaffolds, combining high surface-to-volume ratio with physical and chemical properties that are strongly susceptible to environmental changes. TMDCs can be integrated in field-effect transistors (FETs), which can operate as high-performance chemical detectors of (non)covalent interaction with small molecules. Here, we have developed MoS₂-based FETs as platforms for PAHs sensing, relying on the affinity of the planar polyaromatic molecules for the basal plane of MoS₂ and the structural defects in its lattice. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, photoluminescence measurements, and transfer characteristics showed a notable reduction in the defectiveness of MoS₂ and a p-type doping upon exposure to PAHs solutions, with a magnitude determined by the correlation between the ionization energies (E_I) of the PAH and that of MoS₂. Naphthalene, endowed with the higher E_I among the studied PAHs, exhibited the highest output. We observed a log-log correlation between MoS₂ doping and naphthalene concentration in water in a wide range (10^-9-10^-6 M), as well as a reversible response to the analyte. Naphthalene concentrations as low as 0.128 ppb were detected, being below the limits imposed by health regulations for drinking water. Furthermore, our MoS₂ devices can reversibly detect vapors of naphthalene with both an electrical and optical readout, confirming that our architecture could operate as a dual sensing platform.

Imaging Spatial Distribution of Photogenerated Carriers in Monolayer MoS2 with Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy

The spatial distribution of photogenerated carriers in atomically thin MoS₂ flakes is investigated by measuring surface potential changes under light illumination using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). It is demonstrated that the vertical redistribution of photogenerated carriers, which is responsible for photocurrent generation in MoS₂ photodetectors, can be imaged as surface potential changes with KPFM. The polarity of surface potential changes points to the trapping of photogenerated holes at the interface between MoS₂ and the substrate as a major mechanism for the photoresponse in monolayer MoS₂. The temporal response of the surface potential changes is compatible with the time constant of MoS₂ photodetectors. The spatial inhomogeneity in the surface potential changes at the low light intensity that is related to the defect distribution in MoS₂ is also investigated.

Functionalization of 2D MoS2 Nanosheets with Various Metal and Metal Oxide Nanostructures: Their Properties and Application in Electrochemical Sensors

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs) have gained considerable attention due to their distinctive properties and broad range of possible applications. One of the most widely studied transition metal dichalcogenides is molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂). The 2D MoS₂ nanosheets have unique and complementary properties to those of graphene, rendering them ideal electrode materials that could potentially lead to significant benefits in many electrochemical applications. These properties include tunable bandgaps, large surface areas, relatively high electron mobilities, and good optical and catalytic characteristics. Although the use of 2D MoS₂ nanosheets offers several advantages and excellent properties, surface functionalization of 2D MoS₂ is a potential route for further enhancing their properties and adding extra functionalities to the surface of the fabricated sensor. The functionalization of the material with various metal and metal oxide nanostructures has a significant impact on its overall electrochemical performance, improving various sensing parameters, such as selectivity, sensitivity, and stability. In this review, different methods of preparing 2D-layered MoS₂ nanomaterials, followed by different surface functionalization methods of these nanomaterials, are explored and discussed. Finally, the structure-properties relationship and electrochemical sensor applications over the last ten years are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the performance of 2D MoS₂ with respect to the performance of electrochemical sensors, thereby giving new insights into this unique material and providing a foundation for researchers of different disciplines who are interested in advancing the development of MoS₂-based sensors.

Electrostatic control of photoluminescence from A and B excitons in monolayer molybdenum disulfide

Tailoring excitonic photoluminescence (PL) in molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is critical for its various applications. Although significant efforts have been devoted to enhancing the PL intensity of monolayer MoS₂, simultaneous tailoring of emission from both A excitons and B excitons remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that both A-excitonic and B-excitonic PL of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown monolayer MoS₂ can be tuned by electrostatic doping in air. Our results indicate that the B-excitonic PL changed in the opposite direction compared to A-excitonic PL when a gate voltage (V _g) was applied, both in S-rich and Mo-rich monolayer MoS₂. Through the combination of gas adsorption and electrostatic doping, a 12-fold enhancement of the PL intensity for A excitons in Mo-rich monolayer MoS₂ was achieved at V _g = -40 V, and a 26-fold enhancement for the ratio of B/A excitonic PL was observed at V _g = +40 V. Our results demonstrate not only the control of the conversion between A⁰ and A^-, but also the modulation of intravalley and intervalley conversion between A excitons and B excitons. With electrostatic electron doping, the population of B excitons can be promoted due to the enhanced intravalley and intervalley transition process through electron-phonon coupling. The electrostatic control of excitonic PL has potential applications in exciton physics and valleytronics involving the B excitons.

Fano-Type Wavelength-Dependent Asymmetric Raman Line Shapes from MoS2 Nanoflakes

Excitation wavelength-dependent Raman spectroscopy has been carried out to study electron-phonon interaction (Fano resonance) in multi-layered bulk 2H-MoS₂ nano-flakes. The electron-phonon coupling is proposed to be caused due to interaction between energy of an excitonic quasi-electronic continuum and the discrete one phonon, first-order Raman modes of MoS₂. It is proposed that an asymmetrically broadened Raman line shape obtained by 633 nm laser excitation is due to electron-phonon interaction whose electronic continuum is provided by the well-known A and B excitons. Typical wavelength-dependent Raman line shape has been observed, which validates and quantifies the Fano interaction present in the samples. The experimentally obtained Raman scattering data show very good agreement with the theoretical Fano-Raman line-shape functions and help in estimating the coupling strength. Values of the electron-phonon interaction parameter obtained, through line-shape fitting, for the two excitation wavelengths have been compared and shown to have generic Fano-type dependence on the excitation wavelength.

Boosting the Photocatalytic Activity and Resistance of Photostability of ZnS Nanoparticles

Defects play a vital role in improving photocatalytic performance. However, the specific influence mechanism of sulfur defects (DSS) on sulfide photocatalytic performance and stability is still unclear. In this work, an ingenious solvent-free self-overflow strategy is designed to introduce DSS into ZnS nanoparticles and explore the specific promotion mechanism of photocatalytic performance and photostability. The results indicate that the introduced DSS in ZnS nanoparticles can simultaneously boost the photocatalytic hydrogen production (PHE) performance and photostability of ZnS: the PHE rate of the defective ZnS can increase up to 21350.23 μmol·h^-1·g^-1, which is roughly 4.7 times higher than that of pristine ZnS. Both experiments and theoretical calculationsshow that the enhanced photocatalytic performance could be attributed to the change of energy band position after introducing DSS. Specifically, the introduction of DSS can raise the conduction band (CB) position of ZnS to enhance the reducing ability of photogenerated electrons. Besides, the valence band (VB) position can also be raised to boost the light absorption ability of ZnS and restrain the photocorrosion by weakening the oxidation capacity of the photogenerated holes. The ingenious strategy and interesting mechanism in this job provide a simple artful tactic to fabricate other defective sulfide photocatalysts and open up a particular path to promote the photostability of the photocatalysts.

Large-Area Transfer of 2D TMDCs Assisted by a Water-Soluble Layer for Potential Device Applications

Layer transfer offers enormous potential for the industrial implementation of two-dimensional (2D) material technology platforms. However, the transfer method used must retain the as-grown uniformity and cleanliness in the transferred films for the fabrication of 2D material-based devices. Additionally, the method used must be capable of large-area transfer to maintain wafer-scale fabrication standards. Here, a facile route to transfer centimeter-scale synthesized 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) (3L MoS₂, 1L WS₂) onto various substrates such as sapphire, SiO₂/Si, and flexible substrates (mica, polyimide) has been developed using a water-soluble layer (Na₂S/Na₂SO₄) underneath the as-grown film. The developed transfer process represents a fast, clean, generic, and scalable technique to transfer 2D atomic layers. The key strategy used in this process includes the dissolution of the Na₂S/Na₂SO₄ layer due to the penetration of NaOH solution between the growth substrate and hydrophobic 2D TMDC film. As a proof-of-concept device, a broadband photodetector has been fabricated onto the transferred 3L MoS₂, which shows photoresponse behavior for a wide range of wavelengths ranging from near-infrared (NIR) to UV. The enhancement in photocurrent was found to be 100 times and 10 times the dark current in the UV and visible regions, respectively. The fabricated photodetector shows a higher responsivity of 8.6 mA/W even at a low applied voltage (1.5 V) and low power density (0.6 μW/mm²). The detector enables a high detectivity of 2.9 × 10¹¹ Jones. This work opens up the pathway toward flexible electronics and optoelectronics.

Oxide Scale Sublimation Chemical Vapor Deposition for Controllable Growth of Monolayer MoS2 Crystals

A newly developed oxide scale sublimation chemical vapor deposition (OSSCVD) technique for 2D MoS₂ growth is reported. Gaseous MoO₃ , which is supplied separately from H₂ S, can be generated in situ by flowing O₂ over Mo metal with oxidation and sublimation processes. In this method, particularly, controllably and abruptly modulating the supply of MoO₃ is achievable by precisely tuning O₂ flow. Having appropriate conditions, where the generation rate of MoO₃ on the Mo metal surface is not larger than its sublimation rate, is critical to enable stable growth. Otherwise, MoS₂ deposition can be caused by accumulated MoO₃ on the metal surface, regardless of oxygen supply. Proof-of-concept experiments with varied process parameters are conducted, confirming OSSCVD enables MoS₂ growth with significantly improved flexibility, controllability, and reproducibility relative to conventional powder-source CVD. By utilizing alkali-aluminosilicate glass, Dragontrail, as catalytic substrate, single-crystalline MoS₂ triangular domains as large as 25 µm are obtained, followed by a fully covered monolayer on Dragontrail in 25 min. Substrate pretreatment by H₂ S yields enlarged domain size and reduced domain density, owning to the extracted alkali metals from Dragontrail into the growth zone. The study opens new avenues for the controllable growth of high-quality MoS₂ and other transition metal dichalcogenides.

Direct Detection of Inhomogeneity in CVD-Grown 2D TMD Materials via K-Means Clustering Raman Analysis

It is known that complex growth environments often induce inhomogeneity in two-dimensional (2D) materials and significantly restrict their applications. In this paper, we proposed an efficient method to analyze the inhomogeneity of 2D materials by combination of Raman spectroscopy and unsupervised k-means clustering analysis. Taking advantage of k-means analysis, it can provide not only the characteristic Raman spectrum for each cluster but also the cluster spatial maps. It has been demonstrated that inhomogeneities and their spatial distributions are simultaneously revealed in all CVD-grown MoS₂, WS₂ and WSe₂ samples. Uniform p-type doping and varied tensile strain were found in polycrystalline monolayer MoS₂ from the grain boundary and edges to the grain center (single crystal). The bilayer MoS₂ with AA and AB stacking are shown to have relatively uniform p-doping but a gradual increase of compressive strain from center to the periphery. Irregular distribution of 2LA(M)/E2g1 mode in WS₂ and E2g1 mode in WSe₂ is revealed due to defect and strain, respectively. All the inhomogeneity could be directly characterized in color-coded Raman imaging with correlated characteristic spectra. Moreover, the influence of strain and doping in the MoS₂ can be well decoupled and be spatially verified by correlating with the clustered maps. Our k-means clustering Raman analysis can dramatically simplify the inhomogeneity analysis for large Raman data in 2D materials, paving the way towards direct evaluation for high quality 2D materials.

The Effect of Reactive Electric Field-Assisted Sintering of MoS2/Bi2Te3 Heterostructure on the Phase Integrity of Bi2Te3 Matrix and the Thermoelectric Properties

In this work, a series of Bi₂Te₃/X mol% MoS₂ (X = 0, 25, 50, 75) bulk nanocomposites were prepared by hydrothermal reaction followed by reactive spark plasma sintering (SPS). X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) indicates that the native nanopowders, comprising of Bi₂Te₃/MoS₂ heterostructure, are highly reactive during the electric field-assisted sintering by SPS. The nano-sized MoS₂ particles react with the Bi₂Te₃ plates matrix forming a mixed-anion compound, Bi₂Te₂S, at the interface between the nanoplates. The transport properties characterizations revealed a significant influence of the nanocomposite structure formation on the native electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity of the initial Bi₂Te₃ matrix. As a result, enhanced ZT values have been obtained in Bi₂Te₃/25 mol% MoS₂ over the temperature range of 300–475 K induced mainly by a significant increase in the electrical conductivity.

Field-effect-transistor-based ion sensors: ultrasensitive mercury(II) detection via healing MoS2 defects

The contamination of water with heavy metal ions represents a harsh environmental problem resulting from societal development. Among various hazardous compounds, mercury ions (Hg²⁺) surely belong to the most poisonous ones. Their accumulation in the human body results in health deterioration, affecting vital organs and eventually leading to chronic diseases, and, in the worst-case scenario, early death. High selectivity and sensitivity for the analyte of choice can be achieved in chemical sensing using suitable active materials capable of interacting at the supramolecular level with the chosen species. Among them, 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted great attention as sensory materials because of their unique physical and chemical properties, which are highly susceptible to environmental changes. In this work, we have fabricated MoS₂-based field-effect transistors (FETs) and exploited them as platforms for Hg²⁺ sensing, relying on the affinity of heavy metal ions for both point defects in TMDCs and sulphur atoms in the MoS₂ lattice. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization showed both a significant reduction of the defectiveness of MoS₂ when exposed to Hg²⁺ with increasing concentration and a shift in the binding energy of 0.2 eV suggesting p-type doping of the 2D semiconductor. The efficient defect healing has been confirmed also by low-temperature photoluminescence measurements by monitoring the attenuation of defect-related bands after Hg²⁺ exposure. Transfer characteristics in MoS₂ FETs provided further evidence that Hg²⁺ acts as a p-dopant of MoS₂. Interestingly, we observed a strict correlation of doping with the concentration of Hg²⁺, following a semi-log trend. Hg²⁺ concentrations as low as 1 pM can be detected, being way below the limits imposed by health regulations. Electrical characterization also revealed that our sensor can be efficiently washed and used multiple times. Moreover, the developed devices displayed a markedly high selectivity for Hg²⁺ against other metal ions as ruled by soft/soft interaction among chemical systems with appropriate redox potentials, being a generally applicable approach to develop chemical sensing devices combining high sensitivity, selectivity and reversibility, to meet technological needs.

MoS2/FeS Nanocomposite Catalyst for Efficient Fenton Reaction

Nanocomposites containing FeS as catalyst and MoS2 as cocatalyst have been synthesized toward efficient heterogeneous Fenton reaction. The deposition of FeS nanoparticles in situ on the surface of MoS2 nanosheets creates strong contact between the two components and generates a large number of exposed Mo6+ sites and sulfur vacancies, which contribute to the enhanced degradation rate by accelerating Fe3+/Fe2+ cycling and ensuring rapid electron transfer. In addition, the MoS2/FeS nanocomposite catalysts exhibit the best performance at near-neutral conditions (pH 6.5), which solves the challenges in conventional Fenton reactions such as leaching of metal ions, the formation of iron slurry, and the need of adjusting solution pH. Further, the nanocomposite can maintain high efficiency after many recycling experiments. It is believed that the MoS2/FeS nanocomposite represents an efficient heterogeneous Fenton catalyst that can greatly promote the performance of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for solving practical environmental issues.

Large-Area MoS2 via Colloidal Nanosheet Ink for Integrated Memtransistor

2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) exhibit intriguing properties for applications in optoelectronics and electronics, among which memtransistors received extensive attention as multifunctional devices. For practical applications of 2D TMDs, large-area fabrication of the materials via reliable processes, which is in trade-off with their quality, has been a long-standing issue. Here, a simple and effective way is proposed to fabricate large-area and high-quality molybdenum disulfide thin films using MoS₂ colloidal ink through a spray coating, followed by a postsulfurization process. High-quality MoS₂ thin films exhibit excellent optical and electrical properties that can be utilized in field-effect transistors (FETs) and memtransistor arrays. The MoS₂ FETs show an average on/off ratio of 5 × 10⁶ and a high electron mobility of 10.34 cm²  V^-1  s^-1 , which can be understood by the healing of sulfur vacancies, recrystallization, and the removal of the carbon contamination of the MoS₂ . These MoS₂ -based memtransistors present stable operations with a high switching ratio tuned by back gate and light illumination, which is promising for multiple-levels memory and complex neuromorphic computing. This study demonstrates a new strategy to fabricate 2D TMDs with large-area and high quality for integrated optoelectronic and memory device applications.

Substitutional Doping of MoS2 for Superior Gas-Sensing Applications: A Proof of Concept

Two-dimensional layered materials (like MoS₂ and WS₂) those are being used as sensing layers in chemoresistive gas sensors suffer from poor sensitivity and selectivity. Mere surface functionalization (decorating of material surface) with metal nanoparticles (NPs) might not improve the sensor performance significantly. In this respect, doping of the layered material can play a significant role. Here, we report a simple yet effective substitutional doping technique to dope MoS₂ with noble metals. Through various material characterization techniques like X-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling spectroscopy images, and selected area electron diffraction pattern, we were able to put forward the difference between surface decoration and substitutional doping by Au at S-vacancy sites of MoS₂. Lattice strain was found to exist in the Au-doped MoS₂ samples, while being absent in the Au NP-decorated samples. Surface chemistry studies performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed a shift of Mo 3d peaks to lower binding energies, thus realizing p-type doping due to Au. The blue shift of the peaks as observed in Raman spectroscopy further confirmed the p-type doping. We found that gold-doped MoS₂ was more sensitive and selective toward ammonia (with a response of 150% for 500 ppm of ammonia at 90 °C) as compared to gold NP-decorated MoS₂. The advantages of substitutional doping and the gas-sensing mechanism were also explained by the density functional theory study. From the first principles study, it was found that the adsorption of Au atoms on the S-vacancy site of a monolayer of the MoS₂ sheet was thermodynamically favorable with the adsorption energy of 2.39 eV. We also successfully doped MoS₂ with Pt using the same technique. It was found that Pt-doped MoS₂ gives huge response toward humidity (60,000% at 80% relative humidity). Thus, various noble metal doping of MoS₂ selectively improved the sensing response toward specific analytes. From this work, we believe that this method could also be useful to dope other layered nanomaterials to design gas sensors with improved selectivity.

A Roadmap for Disruptive Applications and Heterogeneous Integration Using Two-Dimensional Materials: State-of-the-Art and Technological Challenges

This Mini Review attempts to establish a roadmap for two-dimensional (2D) material-based microelectronic technologies for future/disruptive applications with a vision for the semiconductor industry to enable a universal technology platform for heterogeneous integration. The heterogeneous integration would involve integrating orthogonal capabilities, such as different forms of computing (classical, neuromorphic, and quantum), all forms of sensing, digital and analog memories, energy harvesting, and so forth, all in a single chip using a universal technology platform. We have reviewed the state-of-the-art 2D materials such as graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, phosphorene and hexagonal boron nitride, and so forth, and how they offer unique possibilities for a range of futuristic/disruptive applications. Besides, we have discussed the technological and fundamental challenges in enabling such a universal technology platform, where the world stands today, and what gaps are required to be filled.

On the Contact Optimization of ALD-Based MoS2 FETs: Correlation of Processing Conditions and Interface Chemistry with Device Electrical Performance

Despite the extensive ongoing research on MoS₂ field effect transistors (FETs), the key role of device processing conditions in the chemistry involved at the metal-to-MoS₂ interface and their influence on the electrical performance are often overlooked. In addition, the majority of reports on MoS₂ contacts are based on exfoliated MoS₂, whereas synthetic films are even more susceptible to the changes made in device processing conditions. In this paper, working FETs with atomic layer deposition (ALD)-based MoS₂ films and Ti/Au contacts are demonstrated, using current-voltage (I-V) characterization. In pursuit of optimizing the contacts, high-vacuum thermal annealing as well as O₂/Ar plasma cleaning treatments are introduced, and their influence on the electrical performance is studied. The electrical findings are linked to the interface chemistry through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) analyses. XPS evaluation reveals that the concentration of organic residues on the MoS₂ surface, as a result of resist usage during the device processing, is significant. Removal of these contaminations with O₂/Ar plasma changes the MoS₂ chemical state and enhances the MoS₂ electrical properties. Based on the STEM analysis, the observed progress in the device electrical characteristics could also be associated with the formation of a continuous TiS _x layer at the Ti-to-MoS₂ interface. Scaling down the Ti interlayer thickness and replacing it with Cr is found to be beneficial as well, leading to further device performance advancements. Our findings are of value for attaining optimal contacts to synthetic MoS₂ films.

Mobility Extraction in 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Devices-Avoiding Contact Resistance Implicated Overestimation

Schottky barrier (SB) transistors operate distinctly different from conventional metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors, in a unique way that the gate impacts the carrier injection from the metal source/drain contacts into the channel region. While it has been long recognized that this can have severe implications for device characteristics in the subthreshold region, impacts of contact gating of SB in the on-state of the devices, which affects evaluation of intrinsic channel properties, have been yet comprehensively studied. Due to the fact that contact resistance (R_C ) is always gate-dependent in a typical back-gated device structure, the traditional approach of deriving field-effect mobility from the maximum transconductance (g_m ) is in principle not correct and can even overestimate the mobility. In addition, an exhibition of two different threshold voltages for the channel and the contact region leads to another layer of complexity in determining the true carrier concentration calculated from Q = C_OX * (V_G -V_TH ). Through a detailed experimental analysis, the effect of different effective oxide thicknesses, distinct SB heights, and doping-induced reductions in the SB width are carefully evaluated to gain a better understanding of their impact on important device metrics.

Modulation of MoTe2/MoS2 van der Waals heterojunctions for multifunctional devices using N2O plasma with an opposite doping effect

van der Waals layered heterojunctions have a variety of band offsets that open up possibilities for a wide range of novel and multifunctional devices. However, due to their poor pristine carrier concentrations and limited band modulation methods, multifunctional p-n heterojunctions are very difficult to achieve. In this report, we developed a highly effective N2O plasma process to treat MoTe2/MoS2 heterojunctions. This allowed us to adjust the hole and electron concentrations in the two materials independently and simultaneously. More importantly, for the first time, we were able to create opposite doping on the two sides of the junction through a single-step treatment. With a very wide doping range from pristine to degenerate levels, a MoTe2/MoS2 heterojunction can be modulated to behave as a forward rectifying diode with enhanced rectifying ratio and as a tunneling transistor with negative differential resistance at room temperature. The new approach provides an effective and generic doping scheme for heterojunctions to construct versatile and multifunctional electronic devices.

Solution-Processed MoS2 Film with Functional Interfaces via Precursor-Assisted Chemical Welding

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) presents fascinating properties for next-generation applications in diverse fields. However, fully exploiting the best properties of MoS₂ in largescale practical applications still remains a challenge due to lack of proper processing methods. Solution-based processing can be a promising route for scalable production of MoS₂ nanosheets, but the resulting assembled film possesses an enormous number of interfaces that significantly compromise the intrinsic electrical properties. Herein, we demonstrate the solution processing of MoS₂ and subsequent precursor-assisted chemical welding to form defective MoS_2-x at the nanosheet interfaces. The formation of defective MoS_2-x significantly reduces the electrical contact resistances, and thus the chemically welded MoS₂ film exhibits more than 2 orders of magnitude improved electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the chemical welding provides MoS_2-x interface induced additional defect originated functionalities for diverse applications such as broadband photodetection over the near-infrared range and improved electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reactions. Overall, this precursor-assisted chemical welding strategy can be a facile route to produce high-quality MoS₂ films with low-quality defective MoS_2-x at the interfaces having multifunctionalities in electronics, optoelectronics, and electrocatalysis.

Elucidation of Molybdenum Trioxide Sulfurization: Mechanistic Insights into Two-Dimensional Molybdenum Disulfide Growth

Powder vaporization is a common method for the generation of large-area, single-crystal, two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide. While commonly employed as a growth method, the fundamental molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Recent ab initio analyses have shown that molybdenum oxysulfide rings play a key role in the sulfurization of molybdenum trioxide from elemental sulfur. In this study, we utilize molecular dynamics simulations with a reactive force field and ab initio calculations to elucidate the reaction pathway of sulfur with molybdenum trioxide. The molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that for all sulfur allotropes the reaction pathway could be reduced to that of disulfur, trisulfur, or a combination of the two and that molybdenum trioxide can catalyze the decomposition of larger sulfur allotropes. Ab initio calculations were used to illuminate the intermediates and transition states in the reaction pathways for disulfur and trisulfur. Analysis of the temperature dependence of the transition state energies shows that the maximum reaction rates occur between 1000 and 1100 K, which corresponds with commonly reported experimental growth temperatures for molybdenum disulfide.

Rapid and Large-Scale Quality Assessment of Two-Dimensional MoS2 Using Sulfur Particles with Optical Visualization

The efficient nondestructive assessment of quality and homogeneity for two-dimensional (2D) MoS₂ is critically important to advance their practical applications. Here, we presented a rapid and large-area assessment method for visually evaluating the quality and uniformity of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown MoS₂ monolayers simply with conventional optical microscopes. This was achieved through one-pot adsorbing abundant sulfur particles selectively onto as-grown poorer-quality MoS₂ monolayers in a CVD system without any additional treatment. We further revealed that this favorable adsorption of sulfur particles on MoS₂ originated from their intrinsic higher-density sulfur vacancies. Based on unadsorbed MoS₂ monolayers, superior performance field effect transistors with a mobility of ∼49 cm² V^-1 s^-1 were constructed. Importantly, the assessment approach was noninvasive due to the all-vapor-phase and moderate adsorption-desorption process. Our work offers a new route for the performance and yield optimization of devices by quality assessment of 2D semiconductors prior to device fabrication.

Impact of thermal annealing in forming gas on the optical and electrical properties of MoS2monolayer

Technological applications involving 2D MoS2require transfer of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown material from its original substrate and subsequent lithographic processes. Inevitably, those steps contaminate the surface of the 2D material with polymeric residues affecting the electronic and optical properties of the MoS2. Annealing in forming gas is considered an efficient treatment to partially remove such residues. However, hydrogen also interacts with MoS2creating or saturating sulfur vacancies. Sulfur vacancies are known to be at the origin of n-doping evident in the majority of as-grown MoS2samples. In this context, investigating the impact of thermal annealing in forming gas on the electronic and optical properties of MoS2monolayer is technologically important. In order to address this topic, we have systematically studied the evolution of CVD grown MoS2monolayer using Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transport measurements through a series of thermal annealing in forming gas at temperatures up to 500 °C. Efficient removal of the polymeric residues is demonstrated at temperatures as low as 200 °C. Above this value, carrier density modulation is identified by photoluminescence, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrical characterization and is correlated to the creation of sulfur vacancies. Finally, the degradation of the MoS2single layer is verified with annealing at or above 350 °C through Raman and photocurrent measurements.

Growth Mechanism of Alternating Defect Domains in Hexagonal WS2 via Inhomogeneous W-Precursor Accumulation

While a hexagonal WS₂ monolayer, grown by chemical vapor deposition, exhibits distinctive patterns in photoluminescence mapping, segmented with alternating S-vacancy (SV) and W-vacancy (WV) domains in a single crystal, the formation mechanism for native alternating defect domains remains unresolved to date. Here, the formation mechanism of alternating defect domains in hexagonal WS₂ via the precursor accumulation model is experimentally elucidated. A triangular WS₂ seed is initially formed, followed by a hexagonal flake. Alternating W-rich (SV) and W-deficient (WV) domains are constructed in hexagonal WS₂ flake, which is confirmed by confocal photoluminescence mapping and secondary ion mass spectroscopy. This is explained by the accumulation or scarcity of W-precursors at the edge of the WS₂ flake. The W-precursors accumulate near the edges of the initial triangular WS₂ seed over time, while they are deficient near the corners of the triangular WS₂ , eventually forming WV domains in the truncated hexagonal domains. The heterogeneous accumulation becomes more prominent in the presence of H₂ gas through desorption of the W-precursors.

Spatial defects nanoengineering for bipolar conductivity in MoS2

Understanding the atomistic origin of defects in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, their impact on the electronic properties, and how to control them is critical for future electronics and optoelectronics. Here, we demonstrate the integration of thermochemical scanning probe lithography (tc-SPL) with a flow-through reactive gas cell to achieve nanoscale control of defects in monolayer MoS₂. The tc-SPL produced defects can present either p- or n-type doping on demand, depending on the used gasses, allowing the realization of field effect transistors, and p-n junctions with precise sub-μm spatial control, and a rectification ratio of over 10⁴. Doping and defects formation are elucidated by means of X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and density functional theory. We find that p-type doping in HCl/H₂O atmosphere is related to the rearrangement of sulfur atoms, and the formation of protruding covalent S-S bonds on the surface. Alternatively, local heating MoS₂ in N₂ produces n-character.

Bipolar conductivity is fundamental for electronic devices based on two-dimensional semiconductors. Here, the authors report on-demand p- and n-doping of monolayer MoS₂ via defects engineering using thermochemical scanning probe lithography, and achieve a p-n junction with rectification ratio over 10⁴.

Point defect induced intervalley scattering for the enhancement of interlayer electron transport in bilayer MoS2 homojunctions

Since the emergence of transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) based van der Waals (vdW) structures, interlayer charge transport has become an important issue towards the application of these novel materials. Due to the unique layered structure of these materials, charge transport across the vdW gaps via tunneling is governed by individual valleys with different interlayer coupling strengths. On the other hand, the omnipresent point defects in TMDCs could possibly cause intervalley scattering between these valleys. In this article, we investigate the influence of point defect induced intervalley scattering on the interlayer charge transport of the MoS2 homojunction by first principles calculation. We find that S vacancies and Mo-S antisite defects enhance the electron interlayer transport by intervalley scattering that divert the electrons from the non-interlayer coupling K valley to the strong interlayer coupling Q valley. The interlayer charge transport enhancement caused by such an intervalley scattering mechanism could pave the way towards understanding the interlayer charge transport in TMDC based vdW structures.