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Grubišić-Čabo A, Michiardi M, Sanders CE, Bianchi M, Curcio D, Phuyal D, Berntsen MH, Guo Q, Dendzik M. In Situ Exfoliation Method of Large-Area 2D Materials. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023:e2301243. [PMID: 37236159 PMCID: PMC10401183 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
2D materials provide a rich platform to study novel physical phenomena arising from quantum confinement of charge carriers. Many of these phenomena are discovered by surface sensitive techniques, such as photoemission spectroscopy, that work in ultra-high vacuum (UHV). Success in experimental studies of 2D materials, however, inherently relies on producing adsorbate-free, large-area, high-quality samples. The method that yields 2D materials of highest quality is mechanical exfoliation from bulk-grown samples. However, as this technique is traditionally performed in a dedicated environment, the transfer of samples into vacuum requires surface cleaning that might diminish the quality of the samples. In this article, a simple method for in situ exfoliation directly in UHV is reported, which yields large-area, single-layered films. Multiple metallic and semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides are exfoliated in situ onto Au, Ag, and Ge. The exfoliated flakes are found to be of sub-millimeter size with excellent crystallinity and purity, as supported by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and low-energy electron diffraction. The approach is well-suited for air-sensitive 2D materials, enabling the study of a new suite of electronic properties. In addition, the exfoliation of surface alloys and the possibility of controlling the substrate-2D material twist angle is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonija Grubišić-Čabo
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9747 AG, The Netherlands
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12, Stockholm, 114 19, Sweden
| | - Matteo Michiardi
- Quantum Matter Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Charlotte E Sanders
- Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot, 0X11 0QX, UK
| | - Marco Bianchi
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000 C, Denmark
| | - Davide Curcio
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000 C, Denmark
| | - Dibya Phuyal
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12, Stockholm, 114 19, Sweden
| | - Magnus H Berntsen
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12, Stockholm, 114 19, Sweden
| | - Qinda Guo
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12, Stockholm, 114 19, Sweden
| | - Maciej Dendzik
- Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12, Stockholm, 114 19, Sweden
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