Synthesis and Transfer of Large-Area Monolayer WS2 Crystals: Moving Toward the Recyclable Use of Sapphire Substrates

Recent Progress of 2D Materials-Based Photodetectors from UV to THz Waves: Principles, Materials, and Applications

Photodetectors are one of the most critical components for future optoelectronic systems and it undergoes significant advancements to meet the growing demands of diverse applications spanning the spectrum from ultraviolet (UV) to terahertz (THz). 2D materials are very attractive for photodetector applications because of their distinct optical and electrical properties. The atomic-thin structure, high carrier mobility, low van der Waals (vdWs) interaction between layers, relatively narrower bandgap engineered through engineering, and significant absorption coefficient significantly benefit the chip-scale production and integration of 2D materials-based photodetectors. The extremely sensitive detection at ambient temperature with ultra-fast capabilities is made possible with the adaptability of 2D materials. Here, the recent progress of photodetectors based on 2D materials, covering the spectrum from UV to THz is reported. In this report, the interaction of light with 2D materials is first deliberated on in terms of optical physics. Then, various mechanisms on which detectors work, important performance parameters, important and fruitful fabrication methods, fundamental optical properties of 2D materials, various types of 2D materials-based detectors, different strategies to improve performance, and important applications of photodetectors are discussed.

Large-Area Epitaxial Growth of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Over the past decade, research on atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has expanded rapidly due to their unique properties such as high carrier mobility, significant excitonic effects, and strong spin-orbit couplings. Considerable attention from both scientific and industrial communities has fully fueled the exploration of TMDs toward practical applications. Proposed scenarios, such as ultrascaled transistors, on-chip photonics, flexible optoelectronics, and efficient electrocatalysis, critically depend on the scalable production of large-area TMD films. Correspondingly, substantial efforts have been devoted to refining the synthesizing methodology of 2D TMDs, which brought the field to a stage that necessitates a comprehensive summary. In this Review, we give a systematic overview of the basic designs and significant advancements in large-area epitaxial growth of TMDs. We first sketch out their fundamental structures and diverse properties. Subsequent discussion encompasses the state-of-the-art wafer-scale production designs, single-crystal epitaxial strategies, and techniques for structure modification and postprocessing. Additionally, we highlight the future directions for application-driven material fabrication and persistent challenges, aiming to inspire ongoing exploration along a revolution in the modern semiconductor industry.

Uniform, Fully Connected, High-Quality Monocrystalline Freestanding Perovskite Oxide Films Fabricated from Recyclable Substrates

Releasing epitaxial perovskite oxide films from their native oxide substrates produces high quality, 2D-material-like monocrystalline freestanding oxide membranes, as potential key components for the next-generation electronic devices. Two major obstacles still limit their practical applications: macroscopic material defects (mainly cracks) that lowers uniformity and yield, and the high cost of the consumed oxide substrates. Here, a two-step film transfer method and a substrate recycling method enable repetitive fabrication of millimeter-scale, fully-connected freestanding oxide films of various chemical compositions from the same substrates; arrays of capacitor and resistor devices based on these oxides transferred on silicon indicate high uniformity, low sample-to-sample variation, and satisfactory electrical connectivity. The two-step transfer suppresses crack formation by avoiding buckling-delamination-type relaxation of epitaxial strain, and the key point to achieve substrate reuse is to remove the residual Al species bonded to the substrate surfaces. The mitigation of such long-lasting issues in freestanding oxide fabrication techniques may eventually pave roads toward future industrial-grade devices, as well as enabling many research opportunities in fundamental physics.

High-Performance WS2 MOSFETs with Bilayer WS2 Contacts

WS2 is a promising transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) for use as a channel material in extreme-scaled metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) due to its monolayer thickness, high carrier mobility, and its potential for symmetric n-type and p-type MOSFET performance. However, the formation of stable, low-barrier-height contacts to monolayer TMDCs continues to be a challenge. This study introduces an innovative approach to realize high-performance WS2 MOSFETs by utilizing bilayer WS2 (2L-WS2) in the contact region grown through a two-step chemical vapor deposition process. The 2L-WS2 devices demonstrate a high I ON/I OFF ratio of 108 and a saturated drain current, I D(SAT), of 280 μA/μm (386 μA/μm) at room temperature (78 K), even while still using conventional metal (Pd or Ni) contacts. Devices featuring a 1L-WS2 channel and 2L-WS2 in the contact regions were also fabricated, and they exhibited performance comparable to that of 2L-WS2 devices. The devices also exhibit good stability with nearly identical performance after storage over a 13 month period. The study highlights the benefits of a hybrid channel thickness approach for TMDC transistors.

Clean Transfer of Two-Dimensional Materials: A Comprehensive Review

The growth of two-dimensional (2D) materials through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has sparked a growing interest among both the industrial and academic communities. The interest stems from several key advantages associated with CVD, including high yield, high quality, and high tunability. In order to harness the application potentials of 2D materials, it is often necessary to transfer them from their growth substrates to their desired target substrates. However, conventional transfer methods introduce contamination that can adversely affect the quality and properties of the transferred 2D materials, thus limiting their overall application performance. This review presents a comprehensive summary of the current clean transfer methods for 2D materials with a specific focus on the understanding of interaction between supporting layers and 2D materials. The review encompasses various aspects, including clean transfer methods, post-transfer cleaning techniques, and cleanliness assessment. Furthermore, it analyzes and compares the advances and limitations of these clean transfer techniques. Finally, the review highlights the primary challenges associated with current clean transfer methods and provides an outlook on future prospects.

Ultrafast Charge Transfer Cascade in a Mixed-Dimensionality Nanoscale Trilayer

Innovation in optoelectronic semiconductor devices is driven by a fundamental understanding of how to move charges and/or excitons (electron-hole pairs) in specified directions for doing useful work, e.g., for making fuels or electricity. The diverse and tunable electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and one-dimensional (1D) semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs) make them good quantum confined model systems for fundamental studies of charge and exciton transfer across heterointerfaces. Here we demonstrate a mixed-dimensionality 2D/1D/2D MoS2/SWCNT/WSe2 heterotrilayer that enables ultrafast photoinduced exciton dissociation, followed by charge diffusion and slow recombination. Importantly, the heterotrilayer serves to double charge carrier yield relative to a MoS2/SWCNT heterobilayer and also demonstrates the ability of the separated charges to overcome interlayer exciton binding energies to diffuse from one TMDC/SWCNT interface to the other 2D/1D interface, resulting in Coulombically unbound charges. Interestingly, the heterotrilayer also appears to enable efficient hole transfer from SWCNTs to WSe2, which is not observed in the identically prepared WSe2/SWCNT heterobilayer, suggesting that increasing the complexity of nanoscale trilayers may modify dynamic pathways. Our work suggests "mixed-dimensionality" TMDC/SWCNT based heterotrilayers as both interesting model systems for mechanistic studies of carrier dynamics at nanoscale heterointerfaces and for potential applications in advanced optoelectronic systems.

From Material to Cameras: Low-Dimensional Photodetector Arrays on CMOS

The last two decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in research on low-dimensional material with exceptional optoelectronic properties. While low-dimensional materials offer exciting new opportunities for imaging, their integration in practical applications has been slow. In fact, most existing reports are based on single-pixel devices that cannot rival the quantity and quality of information provided by massively parallelized mega-pixel imagers based on complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) readout electronics. The first goal of this review is to present new opportunities in producing high-resolution cameras using these new materials. New photodetection methods and materials in the field are presented, and the challenges involved in their integration on CMOS chips for making high-resolution cameras are discussed. Practical approaches are then presented to address these challenges and methods to integrate low-dimensional material on CMOS. It is also shown that such integrations could be used for ultra-low noise and massively parallel testing of new material and devices. The second goal of this review is to present the colossal untapped potential of low-dimensional material in enabling the next-generation of low-cost and high-performance cameras. It is proposed that low-dimensional materials have the natural ability to create excellent bio-inspired artificial imaging systems with unique features such as in-pixel computing, multi-band imaging, and curved retinas.

Tailored Synthesis of Heterogenous 2D TMDs and Their Spectroscopic Characterization

Two-dimensional (2D) vertical van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) show great potential across various applications. However, synthesizing large-scale structures poses challenges owing to the intricate growth parameters, forming unexpected hybrid film structures. Thus, precision in synthesis and thorough structural analysis are essential aspects. In this study, we successfully synthesized large-scale structured 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) via chemical vapor deposition using metal oxide (WO3 and MoO3) thin films and a diluted H2S precursor, individual MoS2, WS2 films and various MoS2/WS2 hybrid films (Type I: MoxW1-xS2 alloy; Type II: MoS2/WS2 vdWH; Type III: MoS2 dots/WS2). Structural analyses, including optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and cross-sectional imaging revealed that the A1g and E2g modes of WS2 and MoS2 were sensitive to structural variations, enabling hybrid structure differentiation. Type II showed minimal changes in the MoS2's A1g mode, while Types I and III exhibited a ~2.8 cm-1 blue shift. Furthermore, the A1g mode of WS2 in Type I displayed a 1.4 cm-1 red shift. These variations agreed with the TEM-observed microstructural features, demonstrating strain effects on the MoS2-WS2 interfaces. Our study provides insights into the structural features of diverse hybrid TMD materials, facilitating their differentiation through Raman spectroscopy.

Large-area single-crystal TMD growth modulated by sapphire substrates

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have recently attracted extensive attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties; however, the preparation of large-area TMD single crystals is still a great challenge. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is an effective method to synthesize large-area and high-quality TMD films, in which sapphires as suitable substrates play a crucial role in anchoring the source material, promoting nucleation and modulating epitaxial growth. In this review, we provide an insightful overview of different epitaxial mechanisms and growth behaviors associated with the atomic structure of sapphire surfaces and the growth parameters. First, we summarize three epitaxial growth mechanisms of TMDs on sapphire substrates, namely, van der Waals epitaxy, step-guided epitaxy, and dual-coupling-guided epitaxy. Second, we introduce the effects of polishing, cutting, and annealing processing of the sapphire surface on the TMD growth. Finally, we discuss the influence of other growth parameters, such as temperature, pressure, carrier gas, and substrate position, on the growth kinetics of TMDs. This review might provide deep insights into the controllable growth of large-area single-crystal TMDs on sapphires, which will propel their practical applications in high-performance nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.

Dramatically Enhanced Valley-Polarized Emission by Alloying and Electrical Tuning of Monolayer WTe2 x S2(1- x ) Alloys at Room Temperature with 1T'-WTe2 -Contact

Monolayer ternary tellurides based on alloying different transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) can result in new two-dimensional (2D) materials ranging from semiconductors to metals and superconductors with tunable optical and electrical properties. Semiconducting WTe2 x S2(1- x ) monolayer possesses two inequivalent valleys in the Brillouin zone, each valley coupling selectively with circularly polarized light (CPL). The degree of valley polarization (DVP) under the excitation of CPL represents the purity of valley polarized photoluminescence (PL), a critical parameter for opto-valleytronic applications. Here, new strategies to efficiently tailor the valley-polarized PL from semiconducting monolayer WTe2 x S2(1- x ) at room temperature (RT) through alloying and back-gating are presented. The DVP at RT is found to increase drastically from < 5% in WS2 to 40% in WTe0.12 S1.88 by Te-alloying to enhance the spin-orbit coupling. Further enhancement and control of the DVP from 40% up to 75% is demonstrated by electrostatically doping the monolayer WTe0.12 S1.88 via metallic 1T'-WTe2 electrodes, where the use of 1T'-WTe2 substantially lowers the Schottky barrier height (SBH) and weakens the Fermi-level pinning of the electrical contacts. The demonstration of drastically enhanced DVP and electrical tunability in the valley-polarized emission from 1T'-WTe2 /WTe0.12 S1.88 heterostructures paves new pathways towards harnessing valley excitons in ultrathin valleytronic devices for RT applications.

Lattice modulation strategies for 2D material assisted epitaxial growth

As an emerging single crystals growth technique, the 2D-material-assisted epitaxy shows excellent advantages in flexible and transferable structure fabrication, dissimilar materials integration, and matter assembly, which offers opportunities for novel optoelectronics and electronics development and opens a pathway for the next-generation integrated system fabrication. Studying and understanding the lattice modulation mechanism in 2D-material-assisted epitaxy could greatly benefit its practical application and further development. In this review, we overview the tremendous experimental and theoretical findings in varied 2D-material-assisted epitaxy. The lattice guidance mechanism and corresponding epitaxial relationship construction strategy in remote epitaxy, van der Waals epitaxy, and quasi van der Waals epitaxy are discussed, respectively. Besides, the possible application scenarios and future development directions of 2D-material-assisted epitaxy are also given. We believe the discussions and perspectives exhibited here could help to provide insight into the essence of the 2D-material-assisted epitaxy and motivate novel structure design and offer solutions to heterogeneous integration via the 2D-material-assisted epitaxy method.

Highly Reproducible Epitaxial Growth of Wafer-Scale Single-Crystal Monolayer MoS2 on Sapphire

2D semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted considerable attention as channel materials for next-generation transistors. To meet the industry needs, large-scale production of single-crystal monolayer TMDs in highly reproducible and energy-efficient manner is critically significant. Herein, it is reported that the high-reproducible, high-efficient epitaxial growth of wafer-scale monolayer MoS₂ single crystals on the industry-compatible sapphire substrates, by virtue of a deliberately designed "face-to-face" metal-foil-based precursor supply route, carbon-cloth-filter based precursor concentration decay strategy, and the precise optimization of the chalcogenides and metal precursor ratio (i.e., S/Mo ratio). This unique growth design can concurrently guarantee the uniform release, short-distance transport, and moderate deposition of metal precursor on a wafer-scale substrate, affording high-efficient and high-reproducible growth of wafer-scale single crystals (over two inches, six times faster than usual). Moreover, the S/Mo precursor ratio is found as a key factor for the epitaxial growth of MoS₂ single crystals with rather high crystal quality, as convinced by the relatively high electronic performances of related devices. This work demonstrates a reliable route for the batch production of wafer-scale single-crystal 2D materials, thus propelling their practical applications in highly integrated high-performance nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.

CVD growth of large-area monolayer WS2 film on sapphire through tuning substrate environment and its application for high-sensitive strain sensor

Large-area, continuous monolayer WS₂ exhibits great potential for future micro-nanodevice applications due to its special electrical properties and mechanical flexibility. In this work, the front opening quartz boat is used to increase the amount of sulfur (S) vapor under the sapphire substrate, which is critical for achieving large-area films during the chemical vapor deposition processes. COMSOL simulations reveal that the front opening quartz boat will significantly introduce gas distribute under the sapphire substrate. Moreover, the gas velocity and height of substrate away from the tube bottom will also affect the substrate temperature. By carefully optimizing the gas velocity, temperature, and height of substrate away from the tube bottom, a large-scale continues monolayered WS₂ film was achieved. Field-effect transistor based on the as-grown monolayer WS₂ showed a mobility of 3.76 cm²V^-1 s^-1 and ON/OFF ratio of 10⁶. In addition, a flexible WS₂/PEN strain sensor with a gauge factor of 306 was fabricated, showing great potential for applications in wearable biosensors, health monitoring, and human-computer interaction.

Fast, specific, and ultrasensitive antibiotic residue detection by monolayer WS2-based field-effect transistor sensor

Antibiotic residues cause increasing concern in environmental ecology and public health, which needs efficient analysis strategy for monitoring and control. In this study, a fast, specific, and ultrasensitive sensor based on field-effect transistor (FET) has been proposed for the detection of ampicillin (AMP). The sensor involves monolayer tungsten disulfide (WS₂) nanosheet as the sensing channel, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as the sensing probe, and gold nanoparticle (Au NP) as the linker. The WS₂/Au/ssDNA FET sensor responds rapidly to AMP in a wide linear detection range (10^-12-10^-6 M) and has low limit of detection (0.556 pM), which meets the permissible standards of AMP in water and food. The sensing mechanism study suggests that the excellent sensor response results from the increased number of negative charges in the Debye length and the consequent accumulation of holes in WS₂ channel after the addition of AMP. Moreover, satisfactory sensing performance was confirmed in real water samples, indicating the potential application of the proposed method in practical AMP detection. The reported FET sensing strategy provides new insights in antibiotic analysis for risk assessment and control.

Layer-Structured Anisotropic Metal Chalcogenides: Recent Advances in Synthesis, Modulation, and Applications

The unique electronic and catalytic properties emerging from low symmetry anisotropic (1D and 2D) metal chalcogenides (MCs) have generated tremendous interest for use in next generation electronics, optoelectronics, electrochemical energy storage devices, and chemical sensing devices. Despite many proof-of-concept demonstrations so far, the full potential of anisotropic chalcogenides has yet to be investigated. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the recent progress made in the synthesis, mechanistic understanding, property modulation strategies, and applications of the anisotropic chalcogenides. It begins with an introduction to the basic crystal structures, and then the unique physical and chemical properties of 1D and 2D MCs. Controlled synthetic routes for anisotropic MC crystals are summarized with example advances in the solution-phase synthesis, vapor-phase synthesis, and exfoliation. Several important approaches to modulate dimensions, phases, compositions, defects, and heterostructures of anisotropic MCs are discussed. Recent significant advances in applications are highlighted for electronics, optoelectronic devices, catalysts, batteries, supercapacitors, sensing platforms, and thermoelectric devices. The article ends with prospects for future opportunities and challenges to be addressed in the academic research and practical engineering of anisotropic MCs.

Direct growth of hBN/Graphene heterostructure via surface deposition and segregation for independent thickness regulation

Hexagonal boron nitride/graphene (hBN/G) vertical heterostructures have attracted extensive attention, owing to the unusual physical properties for basic research and electronic device applications. Here we report a facile deposition-segregation technique to synthesize hBN/G heterostructures on recyclable platinum (Pt) foil via low pressure chemical vapor deposition. The growth mechanism of the vertical hBN/G is demonstrated to be the surface deposition of hBN on top of the graphene segregated from the Pt foil with pre-dissolved carbon. The thickness of hBN and graphene can be controlled separately from sub-monolayer to multilayer through the fine control of the growth parameters. Further investigations by Raman, scanning Kelvin probe microscopy and transmission electron microscope show that the hBN/G inclines to form a heterostructure with strong interlayer coupling and with interlayer twist angle smaller than 1.5°. This deposition-segregation approach paves a new pathway for large-scale production of hBN/G heterostructures and could be applied to synthesize of other van der Waals heterostructures.

Surface Diffusion-Limited Growth of Large and High-Quality Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides in Confined Space of Microreactor

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), including MoS₂ and WS₂, are potential candidates for next-generation semiconducting materials owing to their atomically thin structure and strong optoelectrical responses, which allow for flexible optoelectronic applications. Monolayer TMDCs have been grown utilizing chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. Enhancing the domain size with high crystallinity and forming heterostructures are important topics for practical applications. In this study, the size of monolayer WS₂ increased via the vapor-liquid-solid growth-based CVD technique utilizing the confined space of the substrate-stacked microreactor. The use of spin-coated metal salts (Na₂WO₄ and Na₂MoO₄) and organosulfur vapor allowed us to precisely control the source supply and investigate the growth in a systematic manner. We obtained a relatively low activation energy for growth (1.02 eV), which is consistent with the surface diffusion-limited growth regime observed in the confined space. Through systematic photoluminescence (PL) analysis, we determined that a growth temperature of ∼820 °C is optimal for producing high-quality WS₂ with a narrow PL peak width (∼35 meV). By controlling the source balance of W and S, we obtained large-sized fully monolayered WS₂ (∼560 μm) and monolayer WS₂ with bilayer spots (∼1100 μm). Combining two distinct sources of transition metals, WS₂/MoS₂ lateral heterostructures were successfully created. In electrical transport measurements, the monolayer WS₂ grown under optimal conditions has a high on-current (∼70 μA/μm), on/off ratio (∼5 × 10⁸), and a field-effect mobility of ∼7 cm²/(V s). The field-effect transistor displayed an intrinsic photoresponse with wavelength selectivity that originated from the photoexcited carriers.

Twist-angle-controlled neutral exciton annihilation in WS2 homostructures

Exciton-exciton annihilation (EEA), as typical nonradiative recombination, plays an unpopular role in semiconductors. The nonradiative process significantly reduces the quantum yield of photoluminescence, which substantially inhibits the maximum efficiency of optoelectronic devices. Recently, laser irradiation, introducing defects and applying strain have become effective means to restrain EEA in two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). However, these methods destroy the atomic structure of 2D materials and limit their practical applications. Fortunately, twisted structures are expected to validly suppress EEA through excellent interface quality. Here, we develop a non-destructive way to control EEA in WS₂ homostructures by changing the interlayer twist angle, and systematically study the effect of interlayer twist angle on EEA, using fluorescence lifetime imaging measurement (FLIM) technology. Due to the large moiré potential at a small interlayer twist angle, the diffusion of excitons is hindered, and the EEA rate decreases from 1.01 × 10^-1 cm² s^-1 in a 9° twisted WS₂ homostructure to 4.26 × 10^-2 cm² s^-1 in a 1° twisted WS₂ homostructure. The results reveal the important role of the interlayer twist angle and EEA interaction in high photoluminescence quantum yield optoelectronic devices based on TMDC homostructures.

Tuning the morphology of 2D transition metal chalcogenides via oxidizing conditions

Two-dimensional transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) are emerging as an intriguing platform to realize nascent properties in condensed matter physics, materials science and device engineering. Controllable growing of TMCs becomes increasingly important, especially for the layer number, doping, and morphology. Here, we successfully tune the morphology of MoS₂, MoSe₂, WS₂and WSe₂, from homogenous films to individual single crystalline grains only via changing the oxidizing growth conditions. The oxidization degrees are determined by the oxygen that adsorbed on substrates and the oxygen concentrations in reaction gas together. We find the homogenous films are easily formed under the reductive conditions, triangular grains prefer the weak oxidizing conditions, and medium oxidizing conditions bring in dendritic grains with higher oxygen doping and inhomogenous photoluminescence intensities from edge to interior regions shown in the dendritic grains. These growth rules under different oxidizing conditions are easily generalized to other TMCs, which also show potential for growing specific TMCs with designed oxygen doping levels.

Fabrication Technologies for the On-Chip Integration of 2D Materials

With compact footprint, low energy consumption, high scalability, and mass producibility, chip-scale integrated devices are an indispensable part of modern technological change and development. Recent advances in 2D layered materials with their unique structures and distinctive properties have motivated their on-chip integration, yielding a variety of functional devices with superior performance and new features. To realize integrated devices incorporating 2D materials, it requires a diverse range of device fabrication techniques, which are of fundamental importance to achieve good performance and high reproducibility. This paper reviews the state-of-art fabrication techniques for the on-chip integration of 2D materials. First, an overview of the material properties and on-chip applications of 2D materials is provided. Second, different approaches used for integrating 2D materials on chips are comprehensively reviewed, which are categorized into material synthesis, on-chip transfer, film patterning, and property tuning/modification. Third, the methods for integrating 2D van der Waals heterostructures are also discussed and summarized. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives are highlighted.

Wafer-Scale Production of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides and Alloy Monolayers by Nanocrystal Conversion for Large-Scale Ultrathin Flexible Electronics

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) layers are unit-cell thick materials with tunable physical properties according to their size, morphology, and chemical composition. Their transition of lab-scale research to industrial-scale applications requires process development for the wafer-scale growth and scalable device fabrication. Herein, we report on a new type of atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) process that utilizes colloidal nanoparticles as process-scalable precursors for the wafer-scale production of TMD monolayers. Facile uniform distribution of nanoparticle precursors on the entire substrate leads to the wafer-scale uniform synthesis of TMD monolayers with the controlled size and morphology. Composition-controlled TMD alloy monolayers with tunable bandgaps can be produced by simply mixing dual nanoparticle precursor solutions in the desired ratio. We also demonstrate the fabrication of ultrathin field-effect transistors and flexible electronics with uniformly controlled performance by using TMD monolayers.

Review and comparison of layer transfer methods for two-dimensional materials for emerging applications

Two-dimensional (2D) materials offer immense potential for scientific breakthroughs and technological innovations. While early demonstrations of 2D material-based electronics, optoelectronics, flextronics, straintronics, twistronics, and biomimetic devices exploited micromechanically-exfoliated single crystal flakes, recent years have witnessed steady progress in large-area growth techniques such as physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and metal-organic CVD (MOCVD). However, use of high growth temperatures, chemically-active growth precursors and promoters, and the need for epitaxy often limit direct growth of 2D materials on the substrates of interest for commercial applications. This has led to the development of a large number of methods for the layer transfer of 2D materials from the growth substrate to the target application substrate with varying degrees of cleanliness, uniformity, and transfer-related damage. This review aims to catalog and discuss these layer transfer methods. In particular, the processes, advantages, and drawbacks of various transfer methods are discussed, as is their applicability to different technological platforms of interest for 2D material implementation.

Investigation of the inhibited biotoxicity of heavy metals towards 5- formylcytosine in rice by hydrochar based on photoelectrochemical biosensor

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor was constructed for 5-formylcytosine (5fC) nucleotide detection based on Ag₂S@WS₂ photoactive material and FeVO₄ catalytic signal quenching. After Ag₂S@WS₂ was modified onto the ITO substrate surface, 5fC recognition reagent of Au@4-amino3hydrazino5mercapto-1,2,4-triazol (Au@AHMT) was further modified through electrostatic adsorption. Afterwards, based on the specific chemical reaction between -NH₂ and -CHO, 5fC can be selectively recognized and captured. Subsequently, the nanoenzyme of FeVO₄ was recognized based on the specific reaction between the phosphate group of 5fC nucleotide and Fe³⁺. Under the catalysis of FeVO₄, the 4-chloro-1-naphthol in the detection solution can be oxidized to generate a precipitate, which will be retained on the electrode surface to inhibit the PEC signal. The developed method presented a widely dynamic range from 0.1 to 400 nM. The detection limit was 0.062 nM (3σ). This method also showed good detection selectivity, reproducibility and stability. The applicability was verified by investigating 5fC content change in genomic DNA of rice tissues after incubated with heavy metals. Moreover, the inhibited influence of hydrochar towards heavy metals was also assessed.

Enhanced photoactivity of ZnPc@WS2 heterojunction by CuBi2O4 and its application for photoelectrochemical detection of 5-formyl-2'-deoxycytidine

The endogenous epigenetic marker 5-formylcytosine (5 fC) is introduced by 5-methylcytosine (5 mC) oxidation under action of enzyme oxidation, and plays an important role in many life activities. Since the content of 5 fC in mammalian tissues and cells is very low, it is necessary to exploit a sensitive and specific detection method to further understand the function of 5 fC. In this work, a sensitively and selectively photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor was developed for 5-formyl-2'-deoxycytidine (5fdC) detection. CuBi₂O₄/ZnPc@WS₂ was used as photoactive material, where the formed ternary heterojunction structure greatly enhanced the PEC response and increased the detection sensitivity. Positively charged polyethyleneimine (PEI) was employed as 5fdC recognition and capture unit, where the amine group on PEI specifically reacted with aldehyde group of 5fdC to form stable amide bond. 4-Carboxyphenylboronic acid (4-CPBA) was adopted as crosslinker for 5fdC and amino functionalized CuBi₂O₄ based on the covalent interaction between 1,3-diol bond on 5fdC and boric acid structure on 4-CPBA, and the covalent interaction between -COOH on 4-CPBA and -NH₂ on amino functionalized CuBi₂O₄. On the basis of the positive synergistic effect of ZnPc and CuBi₂O₄ on improving the photoelectric performance of WS₂, the separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs in semiconductors were promoted, and the examination range was expanded from 0.1 to 500 nM, and the detection limit was 0.0483 nM (3σ). Based on the unique covalent reaction between -NH₂ and -CHO, the PEC biosensor has excellent detection sensitivity, and can even separate 5fdC from 5-methylcytosine deoxyribonucleoside and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine deoxyribonucleoside. The effect of antibiotics and heavy metals on the 5fdC content in wheat tissue genome has also been further investigated using this sensor.

Processing Stability of Monolayer WS2 on SiO2

Using internal photoemission of electrons, the energy position of the valence band top edge in 1 monolayer WS2 films on top of SiO2 thermally-grown on Si was monitored to evaluate the stability of the WS2 layer with respect to two critically important technological factors: exposure to air and the transfer of WS2 from the growth substrate (sapphire) onto SiO2. Contrary to previous results obtained for WS2 and MoS2 layers synthesized by metal film thermal sulfurization in H2S, the valence band top of metal-organic chemical vapor deposition grown WS2 is found to remain at 3.7 ± 0.1 eV below the conduction band bottom edge of SiO2 through different growth runs, transfer processing, and storage in air for several months. This exceptional stability indicates WS2 as a viable candidate for the wafer-scale technology implementation.

Recyclable free-polymer transfer of nano-grain MoS2 film onto arbitrary substrates

Clean transfer of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) film is highly desirable, as intrinsic properties of TMDs may be degraded in a conventional wet transfer process using a polymer-based resist and toxic chemical solvent. Residues from the resists often remain on the transferred TMDs, thereby causing a significant variation in their electrical and optical characteristics. Therefore, an alternative to the conventional wet transfer method is needed-one in which no residue is left behind. Herein, we report that our molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) films synthesized by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition can be easily transferred onto arbitrary substrates (such as SiO₂/Si, polyimide, fluorine-doped tin oxide, and polyethersulfone) by using water alone, i.e. without residues or chemical solvents. The transferred MoS₂ film retains its original morphology and physical properties, which are investigated by optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and surface tension analysis. Furthermore, we demonstrate multiple recycling of the resist-free transfer for the nano-grain MoS₂ film. Using the proposed water-assisted and recyclable transfer, MoS₂/p-doped Si wafer photodiode was fabricated, and the opto-electric properties of the photodiode were characterized to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.

Interface Kinetics Assisted Barrier Removal in Large Area 2D-WS2 Growth to Facilitate Mass Scale Device Production

Growth of monolayer WS2 of domain size beyond few microns is a challenge even today; and it is still restricted to traditional exfoliation techniques, with no control over the dimension. Here, we present the synthesis of mono- to few layer WS2 film of centimeter2 size on graphene-oxide (GO) coated Si/SiO2 substrate using the chemical vapor deposition CVD technique. Although the individual size of WS2 crystallites is found smaller, the joining of grain boundaries due to sp 2-bonded carbon nanostructures (~3-6 nm) in GO to reduced graphene-oxide (RGO) transformed film, facilitates the expansion of domain size in continuous fashion resulting in full coverage of the substrate. Another factor, equally important for expanding the domain boundary, is surface roughness of RGO film. This is confirmed by conducting WS2 growth on Si wafer marked with few scratches on polished surface. Interestingly, WS2 growth was observed in and around the rough surface irrespective of whether polished or unpolished. More the roughness is, better the yield in crystalline WS2 flakes. Raman mapping ascertains the uniform mono-to-few layer growth over the entire substrate, and it is reaffirmed by photoluminescence, AFM and HRTEM. This study may open up a new approach for growth of large area WS2 film for device application. We have also demonstrated the potential of the developed film for photodetector application, where the cycling response of the detector is highly repetitive with negligible drift.

Measurement of Exciton and Trion Energies in Multistacked hBN/WS2 Coupled Quantum Wells for Resonant Tunneling Diodes

Quantum confinements, especially quantum in narrow wells, have been investigated because of their controllability over electrical parameters. For example, quantum dots can emit a variety of photon wavelengths even for the same material depending on their particle size. More recently, the research into two-dimensional (2D) materials has shown the availability of several quantum mechanical phenomenon confined within a sheet of materials. Starting with the gapless semimetal properties of graphene, current research has begun into the excitons and their properties within 2D materials. Even for simple 2D systems, experimental results often offer surprising results, unexpected from traditional studies. We investigated a coupled quantum well system using 2D hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) barrier as well as 2D tungsten disulfide (WS₂) semiconductor arranged in stacked structures to study the various 2D to 2D interactions. We determined that for hexagonal boron nitride-tungsten disulfide (hBN/WS₂) quantum well stacks, the interaction between successive wells resulted in decreasing bandgap, and the effect was pronounced even over a large distance of up to four stacks. Additionally, we observed that a single layer of isolating hBN barriers significantly reduces interlayer interaction between WS₂ layers, while still preserving the interwell interactions in the alternative hBN/WS₂ structure. The methods we used for the study of coupled quantum wells here show a method for determining the respective exciton energy levels and trion energy levels within 2D materials and 2D materials-based structures. Renormalization energy levels are the key in understanding conductive and photonic properties of stacked 2D materials.

Understanding metal organic chemical vapour deposition of monolayer WS2: the enhancing role of Au substrate for simple organosulfur precursors

We find that the use of Au substrate allows fast, self-limited WS2 monolayer growth using a simple sequential exposure pattern of low cost, low toxicity precursors, namely tungsten hexacarbonyl and dimethylsulfide (DMS). We use this model reaction system to fingerprint the technologically important metal organic chemical vapour deposition process by operando X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to address the current lack of understanding of the underlying fundamental growth mechanisms for WS2 and related transition metal dichalcogenides. Au effectively promotes the sulfidation of W with simple organosulfides, enabling WS2 growth with low DMS pressure (<1 mbar) and a suppression of carbon contamination of as-grown WS2, which to date has been a major challenge with this precursor chemistry. Full WS2 coverage can be achieved by one exposure cycle of 10 minutes at 700 °C. We discuss our findings in the wider context of previous literature on heterogeneous catalysis, 2D crystal growth, and overlapping process technologies such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) and direct metal conversion, linking to future integrated manufacturing processes for transition metal dichalcogenide layers.

Diffraction-limited imaging with monolayer 2D material-based ultrathin flat lenses

Ultrathin flat optics allow control of light at the subwavelength scale that is unmatched by traditional refractive optics. To approach the atomically thin limit, the use of 2D materials is an attractive possibility due to their high refractive indices. However, achievement of diffraction-limited focusing and imaging is challenged by their thickness-limited spatial resolution and focusing efficiency. Here we report a universal method to transform 2D monolayers into ultrathin flat lenses. Femtosecond laser direct writing was applied to generate local scattering media inside a monolayer, which overcomes the longstanding challenge of obtaining sufficient phase or amplitude modulation in atomically thin 2D materials. We achieved highly efficient 3D focusing with subwavelength resolution and diffraction-limited imaging. The high focusing performance even allows diffraction-limited imaging at different focal positions with varying magnifications. Our work paves the way for downscaling of optical devices using 2D materials and reports an unprecedented approach for fabricating ultrathin imaging devices.

Molten-Salt-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition Process for Substitutional Doping of Monolayer MoS2 and Effectively Altering the Electronic Structure and Phononic Properties

Substitutional doping of layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) has been proved to be an effective route to alter their intrinsic properties and achieve tunable bandgap, electrical conductivity and magnetism, thus greatly broadening their applications. However, achieving valid substitutional doping of TMDs remains a great challenge to date. Herein, a distinctive molten-salt-assisted chemical vapor deposition (MACVD) method is developed to match the volatilization of the dopants perfectly with the growth process of monolayer MoS2, realizing the substitutional doping of transition metal Fe, Co, and Mn. This doping strategy effectively alters the electronic structure and phononic properties of the pristine MoS2. In addition, a temperature-dependent Raman spectrum is employed to explore the effect of dopants on the lattice dynamics and first-order temperature coefficient of monolayer MoS2, and this doping effect is illustrated in depth combined with the theoretical calculation. This work provides an intriguing and powerful doping strategy for TMDs through employing molten salt in the CVD system, paving the way for exploring new properties of 2D TMDs and extending their applications into spintronics, catalytic chemistry and photoelectric devices.

Unveiling defect-mediated carrier dynamics in monolayer semiconductors by spatiotemporal microwave imaging

The optoelectronic properties of atomically thin transition-metal dichalcogenides are strongly correlated with the presence of defects in the materials, which are not necessarily detrimental for certain applications. For instance, defects can lead to an enhanced photoconduction, a complicated process involving charge generation and recombination in the time domain and carrier transport in the spatial domain. Here, we report the simultaneous spatial and temporal photoconductivity imaging in two types of WS2 monolayers by laser-illuminated microwave impedance microscopy. The diffusion length and carrier lifetime were directly extracted from the spatial profile and temporal relaxation of microwave signals, respectively. Time-resolved experiments indicate that the critical process for photoexcited carriers is the escape of holes from trap states, which prolongs the apparent lifetime of mobile electrons in the conduction band. As a result, counterintuitively, the long-lived photoconductivity signal is higher in chemical-vapor deposited (CVD) samples than exfoliated monolayers due to the presence of traps that inhibits recombination. Our work reveals the intrinsic time and length scales of electrical response to photoexcitation in van der Waals materials, which is essential for their applications in optoelectronic devices.

Photoelectrochemical Biosensor for DNA Formylation Detection in Genomic DNA of Maize Seedlings Based on Black Tio2-Enhanced Photoactivity of MoS2/WS2 Heterojunction

5-Formylcytosine (5fC) is a rare base found in mammalian DNA, which is thought to be involved in the demethylation of DNA. As a stable epigenetic modification, 5fC participates in gene regulation and cell differentiation, and plays an important role in the growth and development of plants. However, the abundance of 5fC is only as low as 0.002-0.02% of cytosine. Therefore, to further understand the functions of 5fC, a rapid, highly sensitive, and efficient method is needed for detecting 5fC. Herein, a novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor was constructed for 5fC detection, where a MoS₂/WS₂ nanosheet heterojunction was employed as a photoactive material, amino-functionalized Fe₃O₄ and SMCC were used as a linker, 4-amino-3-hydrazino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole was adopted as 5fC recognition reagent, and black TiO₂ (B-TiO₂) was used as a signal amplification unit. Under the optimal experimental conditions, this PEC biosensor showed a wide linear range of 0.01-200 nM and a low detection limit of 2.7 pM (S/N = 3). Due to the specific covalent reaction between -NH₂ and -CHO, the biosensor presented high detection sensitivity, even discriminating 5fC with 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. The biosensor was then applied to investigate the effect of heavy metal Cd²⁺ on 5fC content in the root, stem, and leaves of maize seedlings.

Interference Provides Clarity: Direct Observation of 2D Materials at Fluid-Fluid Interfaces

Monolayer particles of two-dimensional (2D) materials represent a scientifically and technologically interesting class of anisotropic particles with colloidal-scale lateral sizes but sub-nanometer thicknesses. This atomic-scale thickness leads to interesting phenomena that can be exploited in next-generation thin-film technologies, and fluid-fluid interfaces provide a potentially scalable platform to confine, assemble, and deposit functional thin films of 2D materials. However, directly observing how these materials interact and assemble into a given film morphology is experimentally challenging because of their sub-nanometer thicknesses. Here, we demonstrate the ability to directly observe graphene, molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) particles at fluid-fluid interfaces using interference reflection microscopy (IRM). Monolayer MoS₂ and graphene particles demonstrated >10% optical contrast at an air-water interface, which allowed us to quantitatively analyze in situ images of self-assembled MoS₂ particles and to map trajectories of interacting graphene particles. Additionally, the Brownian motion of a graphene particle was tracked and analyzed in the context of passive microrheology theory for 2D particle probes. Our results demonstrate how IRM can be used to obtain quantitative spatiotemporal information regarding the self-assembly and dynamics of 2D materials at fluid-fluid interfaces. It will have a significant impact on our ability to investigate systems of atomically thin particles at fluid-fluid interfaces, an area that has fundamental scientific importance and materials science applications but has suffered from a lack of direct, in situ observation techniques.

Recent advances in two-dimensional materials and their nanocomposites in sustainable energy conversion applications

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have a wide platform in research and expanding nano- and atomic-level applications. This study is motivated by the well-established 2D catalysts, which demonstrate high efficiency, selectivity and sustainability exceeding that of classical noble metal catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and/or hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Nowadays, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in water electrolysis is crucial for the cost-efficient production of a pure hydrogen fuel. We will also discuss another important point related to electrochemical carbon dioxide and nitrogen reduction (ECR and N2RR) in detail. In this review, we mainly focused on the recent progress in the fuel cell technology based on 2D materials, including graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, black phosphorus, MXenes, metal-organic frameworks, and metal oxide nanosheets. First, the basic attributes of the 2D materials were described, and their fuel cell mechanisms were also summarized. Finally, some effective methods for enhancing the performance of the fuel cells based on 2D materials were also discussed, and the opportunities and challenges of 2D material-based fuel cells at the commercial level were also provided. This review can provide new avenues for 2D materials with properties suitable for fuel cell technology development and related fields.

Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskites: Synthesis and Optical Properties for Optoelectronic Applications

Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites with a formula of (A')2(A) n -1B n X3 n +1 have recently gained widespread interest as candidates for the next generation of optoelectronic devices. The variations of organic cation, metal halide, and the number of layers in the structure lead to the change of crystal structures and properties for different optoelectronic applications. Herein, the different synthetic methods for 2D perovskite crystals and thin films are summarized and compared. The optoelectronic properties and the charge transfer process in the devices are also delved, in particular, for light-emitting diodes and solar cells.

Incoherent phonon population and exciton-exciton annihilation dynamics in monolayer WS2 revealed by time-resolved Resonance Raman scattering

Atomically thin layer transition metal dichalcogenides have been intensively investigated for their rich optical properties and potential applications on nano-electronics. In this work, we study the incoherent phonon and exciton population dynamics in monolayer WS₂ by time-resolved Resonance Raman scattering spectroscopy. Upon excitation of the exciton transition, both Stokes and anti-Stokes scattering strength of the optical and the longitudinal acoustic two phonon modes exhibit large reduction. Based on the assumption of quasi-equilibrium distribution, the hidden phonon population dynamics is retrieved, which shows an instant build-up and a relaxation lifetime of ∼4 ps at the exciton density ∼10¹²cm^-2. A phonon temperature rises of ∼20 K was identified due to the exciton excitation and relaxation. The exciton relaxation dynamics extracted from the transient vibrational Raman response shows strong excitation density dependence, signaling an important bi-molecular contribution to the decay. These results provide significant knowledge on the thermal dynamics after optical excitation, enhance the understanding of the fundamental exciton dynamics in two-dimensional transition metal materials, and demonstrate that time-resolved Resonance Raman scattering spectroscopy is a powerful method for exploring quasi-particle dynamics in optical materials.

Utilizing a NaOH Promoter to Achieve Large Single-Domain Monolayer WS2 Films via Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition

Because of their fascinating properties, two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have attracted a lot of attention for developing next-generation electronics and optoelectronics. However, there is still a lack of cost-effective, highly reproducible, and controllable synthesis methods for developing high-quality semiconducting 2D monolayers with a sufficiently large single-domain size. Here, utilizing a NaOH promoter and W foils as the W source, we have successfully achieved the fabrication of ultralarge single-domain monolayer WS₂ films via a modified chemical vapor deposition method. With the proper introduction of a NaOH promoter, the single-domain size of monolayer WS₂ can be increased to 550 μm, while the WS₂ flakes can be well controlled by simply varying the growth duration and oxygen concentration in the carrier gas. Importantly, when they are fabricated into global backgated transistors, WS₂ devices exhibit respectable peak electron mobility up to 1.21 cm² V^-1 s^-1, which is comparable to those of many state-of-the-art WS₂ transistors. Photodetectors based on these single-domain WS₂ monolayers give an impressive photodetection performance with a maximum responsivity of 3.2 mA W^-1. All these findings do not only provide a cost-effective platform for the synthesis of high-quality large single-domain 2D nanomaterials, but also facilitate their excellent intrinsic material properties for the next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Direct In Situ Growth of Centimeter-Scale Multi-Heterojunction MoS2/WS2/WSe2 Thin-Film Catalyst for Photo-Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution

To date, the in situ fabrication of the large-scale van der Waals multi-heterojunction transition metal dichalcogenides (multi-TMDs) is significantly challenging using conventional deposition methods. In this study, vertically stacked centimeter-scale multi-TMD (MoS2/WS2/WSe2 and MoS2/WSe2) thin films are successfully fabricated via sequential pulsed laser deposition (PLD), which is an in situ growth process. The fabricated MoS2/WS2/WSe2 thin film on p-type silicon (p-Si) substrate is designed to form multistaggered gaps (type-II band structure) with p-Si, and this film exhibits excellent spatial and thickness uniformity, which is verified by Raman spectroscopy. Among various application fields, MoS2/WS2/WSe2 is applied to the thin-film catalyst of a p-Si photocathode, to effectively transfer the photogenerated electrons from p-Si to the electrolyte in the photo-electrochemical (PEC) hydrogen evolution. From a comparison between the PEC performances of the homostructure TMDs (homo-TMDs)/p-Si and multi-TMDs/p-Si, it is demonstrated that the multistaggered gap of multi-TMDs/p-Si improves the PEC performance significantly more than the homo-TMDs/p-Si and bare p-Si by effective charge transfer. The new in situ growth process for the fabrication of multi-TMD thin films offers a novel and innovative method for the application of multi-TMD thin films to various fields.

Charge-Transfer-Induced Photoluminescence Properties of WSe2 Monolayer-Bilayer Homojunction

The charge-transfer process in transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) lateral homojunction affects the electron-hole recombination process of in optoelectronic devices. However, the optical properties of the homojunction reflecting the charge-transfer process has not been observed and studied. In this work, we investigated the charge-transfer-induced emission properties based on monolayer (1L)-bilayer (2L) WSe₂ lateral homojunction with dozens of nanometer monolayer region. On the one hand, the photoluminescence (PL) emission of bilayer WSe₂ from the homojunction area blue shifts ∼23 and ∼31 meV for direct and indirect bandgap emission, respectively, compared with the bare WSe₂ bilayer region. The blue shift of the emission spectrum in the bilayer WSe₂ is ascribed to the decrease in binding energy induced by charge transfer from monolayer to bilayer. On the other hand, the energy shift shows a tendency to increase as the temperature decreases. The energy blue shift is ∼57 meV for direct bandgap emission at 80 K, which is larger than that (∼23 meV) at room temperature. The larger-energy blue shift at low temperature is derived from the larger driving force under larger band offset. Our observations of the unique optical properties induced by efficient charge transfer are very helpful for exploring novel TMDC-based optoelectronic devices.

Laser Annealing Improves the Photoelectrochemical Activity of Ultrathin MoSe2 Photoelectrodes

Understanding light-matter interactions in transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is critical for optoelectronic device applications. Several studies have shown that high intensity light irradiation can tune the optical and physical properties of pristine TMDs. The enhancement in optoelectronic properties has been attributed to a so-called laser annealing effect that heals chalcogen vacancies. However, it is unknown whether laser annealing improves functional properties such as photocatalytic activity. Here, we show that high intensity supra band gap illumination improves the photoelectrochemical activity of MoSe₂ nanosheets for iodide oxidation in indium doped tin oxide/MoSe₂/I^-, I₃^-/Pt liquid junction solar cells. Ensemble-level photoelectrochemical measurements show that, on average, illuminating MoSe₂ thin films with 1 W/cm² 532 nm excitation increases the photoelectrochemical current by 142% and shifts the photocurrent response to more favorable (negative) potentials. Scanning photoelectrochemical microscopy measurements reveal that pristine bilayer (2L)-MoSe₂, trilayer (3L)-MoSe₂, and multilayer-thick nanosheets are initially inactive for iodide oxidation. The light treatment activates 2L-MoSe₂ and 3L-MoSe₂ materials, and the activation process initiates at the edge sites. The photocurrent enhancement is more significant for 2L-MoSe₂ than for 1L-MoSe₂. Multilayer-thick MoSe₂ remains inactive for iodide oxidation even after the laser treatment. Our microscopy measurements reveal that the laser-induced enhancement effect depends critically on MoSe₂ layer thickness. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements further show that the laser treatment oxidizes Mo(IV) species that are initially associated with Se vacancies. Ambient oxygen fills the Se vacancies and removes trap states, thereby increasing the overall photogenerated carrier collection efficiency. To the best of our knowledge, this work represents the first report on using laser to enhance the photoelectrocatalytic properties of few-layer-thick TMDs. The simple and rapid laser annealing procedure is a promising strategy to tune the reactivity of TMD-based photoelectrochemical cells for electricity and chemical fuel production.

Recent Developments in Controlled Vapor-Phase Growth of 2D Group 6 Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

An overview of recent developments in controlled vapor-phase growth of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (2D TMD) films is presented. Investigations of thin-film formation mechanisms and strategies for realizing 2D TMD films with less-defective large domains are of central importance because single-crystal-like 2D TMDs exhibit the most beneficial electronic and optoelectronic properties. The focus is on the role of the various growth parameters, including strategies for efficiently delivering the precursors, the selection and preparation of the substrate surface as a growth assistant, and the introduction of growth promoters (e.g., organic molecules and alkali metal halides) to facilitate the layered growth of (Mo, W)(S, Se, Te)₂ atomic crystals on inert substrates. Critical factors governing the thermodynamic and kinetic factors related to chemical reaction pathways and the growth mechanism are reviewed. With modification of classical nucleation theory, strategies for designing and growing various vertical/lateral TMD-based heterostructures are discussed. Then, several pioneering techniques for facile observation of structural defects in TMDs, which substantially degrade the properties of macroscale TMDs, are introduced. Technical challenges to be overcome and future research directions in the vapor-phase growth of 2D TMDs for heterojunction devices are discussed in light of recent advances in the field.

Wafer-scale transferred multilayer MoS2 for high performance field effect transistors

Chemical vapor deposition synthesis of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) offers a new route to build next-generation semiconductor devices. But realization of continuous and uniform multilayer (ML) TMD films is still limited by their specific growth kinetics, such as the competition between surface and interfacial energy. In this work, a layer-by-layer vacuum stacking transfer method is applied to obtain uniform and non-destructive ML-MoS₂ films. Back-gated field effect transistor (FET) arrays of 1L- and 2L-MoS₂ are fabricated on the same wafer, and their electrical performances are compared. We observe a significant increase of field-effect mobility for 2L-MoS₂ FETs, up to 32.5 cm² V^-1 s^-1, which is seven times higher than that of 1L-MoS₂ (4.5 cm² V^-1 s^-1). Then we also fabricated 1L-, 2L-, 3L-, and 4L-MoS₂ FETs to further investigate the thickness-dependent characteristics of transferred ML-MoS₂. Measurement results show a higher mobility but a smaller current on/off ratio as the layer number increases, suggesting that a balance between mobility and current on/off ratio can be achieved in 2L- and 3L-MoS₂ FETs. Dual-gated structure is also investigated to demonstrate an improved electrostatic control of the ML-MoS₂ channel.

WS2 Nanotubes, 2D Nanomeshes, and 2D In-Plane Films through One Single Chemical Vapor Deposition Route

We demonstrate a versatile, catalyst free chemical vapor deposition process on insulating substrates capable of producing in one single stream one-dimensional (1D) WO_{3- x} suboxides leading to a wide range of substrate-supported 2H-WS₂ polymorphs: a tunable class of out-of-plane (of the substrate) nanophases, with 1D nanotubes and a pure WS₂, two-dimensional (2D) nanomesh (defined as a network of webbed, micron-size, few-layer 2D sheets) at its extremes; and in-plane (parallel to the substrate) mono- and few-layer 2D domains. This entails a two-stage approach in which the 2WO₃ + 7S → 2WS₂ + 3SO₂ reaction is intentionally decoupled. First, various morphologies of nanowires or nanorods of high stoichiometry, WO_2.92/WO_2.9 suboxides (belonging to the class of Magnéli phases) were formed, followed by their sulfurization to undergo reduction to the aforementioned WS₂ polymorphs. The continuous transition of WS₂ from nanotubes to the out-of-plane 2D nanomesh, via intermediary, mixed 1D-2D phases, delivers tunable functional properties, for example, linear and nonlinear optical properties, such as reflectivity (linked to optical excitations in the material), and second harmonic generation (SHG) and onset of saturable absorption. The SHG effect is very strong across the entire tunable class of WS₂ nanomaterials, weakest in nanotubes, and strongest in the 2D nanomesh. Furthermore, a mechanism via suboxide (WO_{3- x}) intermediate as a possible path to 2D domain growth is demonstrated. 2D, in-plane WS₂ domains grow via "self-seeding and feeding" where short WO_2.92/WO_2.9 nanorods provide both the nucleation sites and the precursor feedstock. Understanding the reaction path (here, in the W-O-S space) is an emerging approach toward controlling the nucleation, growth, and morphology of 2D domains and films of transition-metal dichalcogenides.

Facile and Controllable Synthesis of Large-Area Monolayer WS₂ Flakes Based on WO₃ Precursor Drop-Casted Substrates by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Monolayer WS₂ (Tungsten Disulfide) with a direct-energy gap and excellent photoluminescence quantum yield at room temperature shows potential applications in optoelectronics. However, controllable synthesis of large-area monolayer WS₂ is still challenging because of the difficulty in controlling the interrelated growth parameters. Herein, we report a facile and controllable method for synthesis of large-area monolayer WS₂ flakes by direct sulfurization of powdered WO₃ (Tungsten Trioxide) drop-casted on SiO₂/Si substrates in a one-end sealed quartz tube. The samples were thoroughly characterized by an optical microscope, atomic force microscope, transmission electron microscope, fluorescence microscope, photoluminescence spectrometer, and Raman spectrometer. The obtained results indicate that large triangular monolayer WS₂ flakes with an edge length up to 250 to 370 μm and homogeneous crystallinity were readily synthesized within 5 min of growth. We demonstrate that the as-grown monolayer WS₂ flakes show distinctly size-dependent fluorescence emission, which is mainly attributed to the heterogeneous release of intrinsic tensile strain after growth.