Issue 2, 2017

A novel 2-step ALD route to ultra-thin MoS2 films on SiO2 through a surface organometallic intermediate

Abstract

The lack of scalable-methods for the growth of 2D MoS2 crystals, an identified emerging material with applications ranging from electronics to energy storage, is a current bottleneck against its large-scale deployment. We report here a two-step ALD route with new organometallic precursors, Mo(NMe2)4 and 1,2-ethanedithiol (HS(CH2)2SH) which consists in the layer-by-layer deposition of an amorphous surface Mo(IV) thiolate at 50 °C, followed by a subsequent annealing at higher temperature leading to ultra-thin MoS2 nanocrystals (∼20 nm-large) in the 1–2 monolayer range. In contrast to the usual high-temperature growth of 2D dichalcogenides, where nucleation is the key parameter to control both thickness and uniformity, our novel two-step ALD approach enables chemical control over these two parameters, the growth of 2D MoS2 crystals upon annealing being ensured by spatial confinement and facilitated by the formation of a buffer oxysulfide interlayer.

Graphical abstract: A novel 2-step ALD route to ultra-thin MoS2 films on SiO2 through a surface organometallic intermediate

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 Jul 2016
Accepted
23 Sep 2016
First published
26 Sep 2016

Nanoscale, 2017,9, 538-546

A novel 2-step ALD route to ultra-thin MoS2 films on SiO2 through a surface organometallic intermediate

S. Cadot, O. Renault, M. Frégnaux, D. Rouchon, E. Nolot, K. Szeto, C. Thieuleux, L. Veyre, H. Okuno, F. Martin and E. A. Quadrelli, Nanoscale, 2017, 9, 538 DOI: 10.1039/C6NR06021H

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