MoS2-OH Bilayer-Mediated Growth of Inch-Sized Monolayer MoS2 on Arbitrary Substrates

Boosting Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides Growth by Hydrogen-Free Ramping during Chemical Vapor Deposition

The controlled vapor-phase synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is essential for functional applications. While chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques have been successful for transition metal sulfides, extending these methods to selenides and tellurides often faces challenges due to uncertain roles of hydrogen (H2) in their synthesis. Using CVD growth of MoSe2 as an example, this study illustrates the role of a H2-free environment during temperature ramping in suppressing the reduction of MoO3, which promotes effective vaporization and selenization of the Mo precursor to form MoSe2 monolayers with excellent crystal quality. As-synthesized MoSe2 monolayer-based field-effect transistors show excellent carrier mobility of up to 20.9 cm2/(V·s) with an on-off ratio of 7 × 107. This approach can be extended to other TMDs, such as WSe2, MoTe2, and MoSe2/WSe2 in-plane heterostructures. Our work provides a rational and facile approach to reproducibly synthesize high-quality TMD monolayers, facilitating their translation from laboratory to manufacturing.

Monomolecular Membrane-Assisted Growth of Antimony Halide Perovskite/MoS2 Van der Waals Epitaxial Heterojunctions with Long-Lived Interlayer Exciton

Epitaxial growth stands as a key method for integrating semiconductors into heterostructures, offering a potent avenue to explore the electronic and optoelectronic characteristics of cutting-edge materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) and perovskites. Nevertheless, the layer-by-layer growth atop TMD materials confronts a substantial energy barrier, impeding the adsorption and nucleation of perovskite atoms on the 2D surface. Here, we epitaxially grown an inorganic lead-free perovskite on TMD and formed van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions. Our work employs a monomolecular membrane-assisted growth strategy that reduces the contact angle and simultaneously diminishing the energy barrier for Cs3Sb2Br9 surface nucleation. By controlling the nucleation temperature, we achieved a reduction in the thickness of the Cs3Sb2Br9 epitaxial layer from 30 to approximately 4 nm. In the realm of inorganic lead-free perovskite and TMD heterojunctions, we observed long-lived interlayer exciton of 9.9 ns, approximately 36 times longer than the intralayer exciton lifetime, which benefited from the excellent interlayer coupling brought by direct epitaxial growth. Our research introduces a monomolecular membrane-assisted growth strategy that expands the diversity of materials attainable through vdW epitaxial growth, potentially contributing to future applications in optoelectronics involving heterojunctions.

Two-Step Conversion of Metal and Metal Oxide Precursor Films to 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides and Heterostructures

The widely studied class of two-dimensional (2D) materials known as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are now well-poised to be employed in real-world applications ranging from electronic logic and memory devices to gas and biological sensors. Several scalable thin film synthesis techniques have demonstrated nanoscale control of TMD material thickness, morphology, structure, and chemistry and correlated these properties with high-performing, application-specific device metrics. In this review, the particularly versatile two-step conversion (2SC) method of TMD film synthesis is highlighted. The 2SC technique relies on deposition of a solid metal or metal oxide precursor material, followed by a reaction with a chalcogen vapor at an elevated temperature, converting the precursor film to a crystalline TMD. Herein, the variables at each step of the 2SC process including the impact of the precursor film material and deposition technique, the influence of gas composition and temperature during conversion, as well as other factors controlling high-quality 2D TMD synthesis are considered. The specific advantages of the 2SC approach including deposition on diverse substrates, low-temperature processing, orientation control, and heterostructure synthesis, among others, are featured. Finally, emergent opportunities that take advantage of the 2SC approach are discussed to include next-generation electronics, sensing, and optoelectronic devices, as well as catalysis for energy-related applications.

Ion adsorption promotes Frank-van der Merwe growth of 2D transition metal tellurides

Reliable synthesis methods for high-quality, large-sized, and uniform two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are crucial for their device applications. However, versatile approaches to growing high-quality, large-sized, and uniform 2D transition-metal tellurides are rare. Here, we demonstrate an ion adsorption strategy that facilitates the Frank-van der Merwe growth of 2D transition-metal tellurides. By employing this method, we grow MoTe2 and WTe2 with enhanced lateral size, reduced thickness, and improved uniformity. Comprehensive characterizations confirm the high quality of as-grown MoTe2. Moreover, various characterizations verify the adsorption of K+ and Cl- ions on the top surface of MoTe2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveals that the MoTe2 is stoichiometric without K+ and Cl- ions and exhibits no discernable oxidation after washing. This top surface control strategy provides a new controlling knob to optimize the growth of 2D transition-metal tellurides and holds the potential for generalized to other 2D materials.

One-pot solvothermal preparation of the porous NiS2//MoS2 composite catalyst with enhanced low-temperature hydrodesulfurization activity

The simple preparation of mesoporous NiS2//MoS2 composite catalyst through a one-pot solvothermal method is presented. The improvement of the specific surface area (220 m2/g) and the construction of the porous structure are realized by this method in the case of no support. The organics acts as a microscopic binder contribute to uniform stacking of MoS2 with NiS2 clusters. The composite structure including NiS2 and MoS2 was obtained (proved by XRD, XPS, TEM, IR, UV-vis and RAMAN) and changed the microelectronic environment of the active metal surface (DFT calculation). The mesoporous NiS2//MoS2 catalyst (Ni1Mo1-200) showed an excellent hydrodesulfurization performance of dibenzothiophene (DBT conversion: 78 % at 260 °C) and a high ratio of direct desulfurization pathway (SDDS/HYD = 16.6) at a low reaction temperature. By combining the characterization and theoretical calculation results, the advantages of this NiS2//MoS2 composite structure in synergistic catalysis was further confirmed.

Vertical Phase-Engineering MoS2 Nanosheet-Enhanced Textiles for Efficient Moisture-Based Energy Generation

Flexible moisture-electric generators (MEGs) capture chemical energy from atmospheric moisture for sustainable electricity, gaining attention in wearable electronics. However, challenges persist in the large-scale integration and miniaturization of MEGs for long-term, high-power output. Herein, a vertical heterogeneous phase-engineering MoS2 nanosheet structure based silk and cotton were rationally designed and successfully applied to construct wearable MEGs for moisture-energy conversion. The prepared METs exhibit ∼0.8 V open-circuit voltage, ∼0.27 mA/cm2 current density for >10 h, and >36.12 μW/cm2 peak output power density, 3 orders higher than current standards. And the large-scale device realizes a current output of 0.145 A. An internal phase gradient between the 2H semiconductor MoS2 in carbonized silks and 1T metallic MoS2 in cotton fibers enables a phase-engineering-based heterogeneous electric double layer functioning as an equivalent parallel circuit, leading to enhanced high-power output. Owing to their facile customization for seamless adaptation to the human body, we envision exciting possibilities for these wearable METs as integrated self-power sources, enabling real-time monitoring of physiological parameters in wearable electronics.

Non-epitaxial growth of highly oriented transition metal dichalcogenides with density-controlled twin boundaries

Twin boundaries (TBs) in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) constitute distinctive one-dimensional electronic systems, exhibiting intriguing physical and chemical properties that have garnered significant attention in the fields of quantum physics and electrocatalysis. However, the controlled manipulation of TBs in terms of density and specific atomic configurations remains a formidable challenge. In this study, we present a non-epitaxial growth approach that enables the controlled and large-scale fabrication of homogeneous catalytically active TBs in monolayer TMDs on arbitrary substrates. Notably, the density achieved using this strategy is six times higher than that observed in convention chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown samples. Through rigorous experimental analysis and multigrain Wulff construction simulations, we elucidate the role of regulating the metal source diffusion process, which serves as the key factor for inducing the self-oriented growth of TMD grains and the formation of unified TBs. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this novel growth mode can be readily incorporated into the conventional CVD growth method by making a simple modification of the growth temperature profile, thereby offering a universal approach for engineering of grain boundaries in two-dimensional materials.

Recent Advances in Transfer-Free Synthesis of High-Quality Graphene

High-quality graphene obtained by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique holds significant importance in constructing innovative electronic and optoelectronic devices. Direct growth of graphene over target substrates readily eliminates cumbersome transfer processes, offering compatibility with practical application scenarios. Recent years have witnessed growing strategic endeavors in the preparation of transfer-free graphene with favorable quality. Nevertheless, timely review articles on this topic are still scarce. In this contribution, a systematic summary of recent advances in transfer-free synthesis of high-quality graphene on insulating substrates, with a focus on discussing synthetic strategies designed by elevating reaction temperature, confining gas flow, introducing growth promotor and regulating substrate surface is presented.

Controlled Synthesis and Accurate Doping of Wafer-Scale 2D Semiconducting Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

2D semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDCs) possess atomically thin thickness, a dangling-bond-free surface, flexible band structure, and silicon-compatible feature, making them one of the most promising channels for constructing state-of-the-art field-effect transistors in the post-Moore's era. However, the existing 2D semiconducting TMDCs fall short of meeting the industry criteria for practical applications in electronics due to their small domain size and the lack of an effective approach to modulate intrinsic physical properties. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare and dope 2D semiconducting TMDCs single crystals with wafer size. In this review, the up-to-date progress regarding the wafer-scale growth of 2D semiconducting TMDC polycrystalline and single-crystal films is systematically summarized. The domain orientation control of 2D TMDCs and the seamless stitching of unidirectionally aligned 2D islands by means of substrate design are proposed. In addition, the accurate and uniform doping of 2D semiconducting TMDCs and the effect on electronic device performances are also discussed. Finally, the dominating challenges pertaining to the enhancement of the electronic device performances of TMDCs are emphasized, and further development directions are put forward. This review provides a systematic and in-depth summary of high-performance device applications of 2D semiconducting TMDCs.

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.

Liquid-precursor-intermediated synthesis of atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides

With the rapid development of integrated electronics and optoelectronics, methods for the scalable industrial-scale growth of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) materials have become a hot research topic. However, the control of gas distribution of solid precursors in common chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is still a challenge, resulting in the growth of 2D TMDs strongly influenced by the location of the substrate from the precursor powder. In contrast, liquid-precursor-intermediated growth not only avoids the use of solid powders but also enables the uniform distribution of precursors on the substrate through spin-coating, which is much more favorable for the synthesis of wafer-scale TMDs. Moreover, the spin-coating process based on liquid precursors can control the thickness of the spin-coated films by regulating the solution concentration and spin-coating speed. Herein, this review focuses on the recent progress in the synthesis of 2D TMDs based on liquid-precursor-intermediated CVD (LPI-CVD) growth. Firstly, the different assisted treatments based on LPI-CVD strategies for monolayer 2D TMDs are introduced. Then, the progress in the regulation of the different physical properties of monolayer 2D TMDs by substitution of the transition metal and their corresponding heterostructures based on LPI-CVD growth are summarized. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of 2D TMDs based on the LPI-CVD method are discussed.

All-Water Etching-Free Electron Beam Lithography for On-Chip Nanomaterials

Electron beam lithography uses an accelerated electron beam to fabricate patterning on an electron-beam-sensitive resist but requires complex dry etching or lift-off processes to transfer the pattern to the substrate or film on the substrate. In this study, etching-free electron beam lithography is developed to directly write a pattern of various materials in all-water processes, achieving the desired semiconductor nanopatterns on a silicon wafer. Introduced sugars are copolymerized with metal ions-coordinated polyethylenimine under the action of electron beams. The all-water process and thermal treatment result in nanomaterials with satisfactory electronic properties, indicating that diverse on-chip semiconductors (e.g., metal oxides, sulfides, and nitrides) can be directly printed on-chip by an aqueous solution system. As a demonstration, zinc oxide patterns can be achieved with a line width of 18 nm and a mobility of 3.94 cm² V^-1 s^-1. This etching-free electron beam lithography strategy provides an efficient alternative for micro/nanofabrication and chip manufacturing.

Structure modulation of two-dimensional transition metal chalcogenides: recent advances in methodology, mechanism and applications

Together with the development of two-dimensional (2D) materials, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have become one of the most popular series of model materials for fundamental sciences and practical applications. Due to the ever-growing requirements of customization and multi-function, dozens of modulated structures have been introduced in TMDs. In this review, we present a systematic and comprehensive overview of the structure modulation of TMDs, including point, linear and out-of-plane structures, following and updating the conventional classification for silicon and related bulk semiconductors. In particular, we focus on the structural characteristics of modulated TMD structures and analyse the corresponding root causes. We also summarize the recent progress in modulating methods, mechanisms, properties and applications based on modulated TMD structures. Finally, we demonstrate challenges and prospects in the structure modulation of TMDs and forecast potential directions about what and how breakthroughs can be achieved.

Emerging MoS2 Wafer-Scale Technique for Integrated Circuits

As an outstanding representative of layered materials, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has excellent physical properties, such as high carrier mobility, stability, and abundance on earth. Moreover, its reasonable band gap and microelectronic compatible fabrication characteristics makes it the most promising candidate in future advanced integrated circuits such as logical electronics, flexible electronics, and focal-plane photodetector. However, to realize the all-aspects application of MoS2, the research on obtaining high-quality and large-area films need to be continuously explored to promote its industrialization. Although the MoS2 grain size has already improved from several micrometers to sub-millimeters, the high-quality growth of wafer-scale MoS2 is still of great challenge. Herein, this review mainly focuses on the evolution of MoS2 by including chemical vapor deposition, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, and thermal conversion technology methods. The state-of-the-art research on the growth and optimization mechanism, including nucleation, orientation, grain, and defect engineering, is systematically summarized. Then, this review summarizes the wafer-scale application of MoS2 in a transistor, inverter, electronics, and photodetectors. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives are outlined for the wafer-scale growth and application of MoS2.

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 .

Synthesis of Group VIII Magnetic Transition-Metal-Doped Monolayer MoSe2

The limitation on the spintronic applications of van der Waals layered transition-metal dichalcogenide semiconductors is ascribed to the intrinsic nonmagnetic feature. Recent studies have proved that substitutional doping is an effective route to alter the magnetic properties of two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). However, highly valid and repeatable substitutional doping of TMDs remains to be developed. Herein, we report group VIII magnetic transition metal-doped molybdenum diselenide (MoSe₂) single crystals via a one-pot mixed-salt-intermediated chemical vapor deposition method with high controllability and reproducibility. The high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy studies further confirm that the sites of Fe are indeed substitutionally incorporated into the MoSe₂ monolayer. The Fe-doped MoSe₂ monolayer with a concentration from 0.93% to 6.10% could be obtained by controlling the ratios of FeCl₃/Na₂MoO₄. Moreover, this strategy can be extended to create Co(Ni)-doped MoSe₂ monolayers. The magnetic hysteresis (M-H) measurements demonstrate that group VIII magnetic transition-metal-doped MoSe₂ samples exhibit room-temperature ferromagnetism. Additionally, the Fe-doped MoSe₂ field effect transistor shows n-type semiconductor characteristics, indicating the obtainment of a room-temperature dilute magnetic semiconductor. Our approach is universal in magnetic transition-metal substitutional doping of TMDs, and it inspires further research interest in the study of related spintronic and magnetoelectric applications.

Low-temperature growth of ultrathin and epitaxial Mo2C nanosheets via a vapor-liquid-solid process

Due to the unique physical and chemical properties, transition metal carbides (TMCs) have many potential applications in the fields of energy conversion and catalysis. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a promising method to synthesize TMCs. However, spatially inhomogeneous supply of transition metal precursor vapor in the normal CVD process generally leads to poor control of the morphology and uniformity of the products. Here, we report a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth process where non-volatile Na₂MoO₄ is used to act as a liquid precursor for the growth of uniform ultrathin Mo₂C nanosheets on Al₂O₃(0001). The morphology of the nanosheets can be controlled by tuning the precursor concentration, annealing time and growth temperature. The roles of Na and the liquid-solid interface in consolidating Mo atoms and promoting the epitaxial growth of Mo₂C nanosheets are demonstrated. Furthermore, we show that the liquid-solid interface can cause the crystalline phase transition of Mo₂C nanosheets through verification experiments.

Observation of Ultrafast Interfacial Exciton Formation and Relaxation in Graphene/MoS2 Heterostructure

Heterostructures constructed from graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have established a new platform for optoelectronic applications. After a large number of studies, one intriguing debate is the existence of the interfacial exciton in graphene/TMDs. Hereby, by combined optical pump-terahertz probe spectroscopy and transient absorption spectroscopy, we report the observation of the interfacial exciton in graphene/MoS2 heterostructure. With the photon energy well below the band gap of monolayer MoS2, the hot electrons of graphene are transferred to MoS2 within 0.5 ps; subsequently, the relaxation of the holes in graphene and electrons in MoS2 shows an identical time scale of 15-18 ps, which manifests the formation and relaxation of the interfacial exciton in the heterostructure following photoexcitation. Moreover, a model of the carrier heating and photogating effect in graphene is proposed to estimate the amount of transferred charge, which agrees well with the experimental results. Our study provides insights into the dynamics of graphene-based heterostructure interfacial non-equilibrium carriers.

Lys-AuNPs@MoS2 Nanocomposite Self-Assembled Microfluidic Immunoassay Biochip for Ultrasensitive Detection of Multiplex Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Diseases

The progression of cardiovascular diseases is accompanied by myocardial injury and necrosis, heart failure, and inflammatory response. Accordingly, ultrasensitive and rapid detection of multiple biomarkers plays a vital role in clinical diagnosis and timely treatment. Here, we developed a novel Lys-AuNPs@MoS₂ nanocomposite self-assembled microfluidic immunoassay biochip with digital signal output and applied it to the simultaneous detection of multiple serum biomarkers including inflammatory factors and cardiovascular biomarkers, PCT, CRP, IL6, cTnI, cTnT, and NT-BNP, with high throughput and sensitivity. The digital output signal was collected in the solid phase on the chip surface with two-dimensional distribution of targets. Lys-AuNPs@MoS₂ nanocomposites self-assembled biochips could simultaneously detect all six biomarkers in 60 samples in 40 min with detection limit of a few to tens of pg/mL for all serum biomarkers. The microfluidic biochip based on Lys-AuNPs@MoS₂ nanocomposites provides a promising method in applications for clinical diagnosis.

Ammonium Salts: New Synergistic Additive for Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of MoS2

Controllable and scalable fabrication is the precondition for realizing the large number of superior electronic and catalytic applications of MoS₂. Here, we report a new type of synergistic additives, ammonium salts, for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of MoS₂. On the basis of the catalysis of ammonium salts, we can achieve layer and shape-controlled MoS₂ domains and centimeter-scale MoS₂ films. Compared to frequently used alkali metal ions as the catalysts, ammonium salts are decomposed completely at low temperature (below 513 °C), resulting in clean and nondestructive as-grown substrates. Thus, MoS₂ electronic devices can be directly fabricated on them, and the redundant transfer step is no longer needed. This method can also promote the direct growth of MoS₂ on the conductive substrate and boost the improvement of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance. The ammonium salt-mediated CVD method will pave a new way for MoS₂ toward real applications in modern electronics and catalysis.

Mechanism of 2D Materials' Seamless Coalescence on a Liquid Substrate

The seamless coalescence of parallelly aligned 2D materials is the primary route toward the synthesis of wafer-scale single crystals (WSSCs) of 2D materials. The epitaxial growth of various 2D materials on a single-crystal substrate, which is an essential condition of the seamless coalescence approach, has been extensively explored in previous studies. Here, by using hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) growth on a liquid gold surface as an example, we demonstrate that growth of WSSCs of 2D materials via the seamless coalescence of self-aligned 2D islands on a liquid substrate is possible. Here we show that, in the presence of hydrogen, all the hBN edges tend to be hydrogen terminated and the coalescence of hBN islands occurs only if their crystallographic lattices of neighboring hBN islands are aligned parallelly. The mechanism of hBN self-alignment revealed in this study implies that, under the optimum experimental condition, the seamless coalescence of 2D materials on a liquid substrate is possible and thus provides guidance for synthesizing WSSCs of various 2D materials by using liquid phase substrates.

Ultralow Power Optical Synapses Based on MoS2 Layers by Indium-Induced Surface Charge Doping for Biomimetic Eyes

Biomimetic eyes, with their excellent imaging functions such as large fields of view and low aberrations, have shown great potentials in the fields of visual prostheses and robotics. However, high power consumption and difficulties in device integration severely restrict their rapid development. In this study, an artificial synaptic device consisting of a molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂ ) film coated with an electron injection enhanced indium (In) layer is proposed to increase the channel conductivity and reduce the power consumption. This artificial synaptic device achieves an ultralow power consumption of 68.9 aJ per spike, which is several hundred times lower than those of the optical artificial synapses reported in literature. Furthermore, the multilayer and polycrystalline MoS₂ film shows persistent photoconductivity performance, effectively resulting in short-term plasticity, long-term plasticity, and their transitions between each other. A 5 × 5 In/MoS₂ synaptic device array is constructed into a hemispherical electronic retina, demonstrating its impressive image sensing and learning functions. This research provides a new methodology for effective control of artificial synaptic devices, which have great opportunities used in bionic retinas, robots, and visual prostheses.

Revealing the Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi relation in halide-activated fast MoS2 growth toward millimeter-sized 2D crystals

Achieving large-size two-dimensional (2D) crystals is key to fully exploiting their remarkable functionalities and application potentials. Chemical vapor deposition growth of 2D semiconductors such as monolayer MoS2 has been reported to be activated by halide salts, for which various investigations have been conducted to understand the underlying mechanism from different aspects. Here, we provide experimental evidence showing that the MoS2 growth dynamics are halogen dependent through the Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi relation, based on which we build a growth model by considering MoS2 edge passivation by halogens, and theoretically reproduce the trend of our experimental observations. These mechanistic understandings enable us to further optimize the fast growth of MoS2 and reach record-large domain sizes that should facilitate practical applications.

Growth mechanism and atomic structure of group-IIA compound-promoted CVD-synthesized monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides

Developing promoters that can boost the growth quality, efficiency, and robustness of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides is significant for their industrial applications. Herein a new group (group IIA) of promoters in the periodic table has been disclosed, whose chlorides (especially CaCl₂ and SrCl₂) exhibit a versatile promoting effect on the CVD growth of various TMD monolayers, including hexagonal MoS₂, MoSe₂, Re doped MoS₂, and triclinic ReS₂. The promoting effect of group IIA promoters relies on the appropriate dose and is strongly substrate-dependent. The performances of five typical group IA-IIA metal chlorides are ranked by quantitative investigations, displaying periodic variations closely related to the electronegativities of the metal elements. A brand-new acid-base match model is proposed, attributing the promoting mechanism to an increase of the substrate basicity due to the usage of promoters, thus leading to the sufficient adsorption of the acidic precursor. Aberration-corrected annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM) was applied, unveiling anomalous grain boundaries (GBs) with a low density of coincident sites in the as-grown ReS₂ and detailed atomic configurations of Re doped MoS₂. This work expands the promoter library and gives an insight into GB engineering for the CVD growth of 2D TMDs.

Immobilized Precursor Particle Driven Growth of Centimeter-Sized MoTe2 Monolayer

Molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe₂) has attracted ever-growing attention in recent years due to its novel characteristics in spintronics and phase-engineering, and an efficient and convenient method to achieve large-area high-quality film is an essential step toward electronic applications. However, the growth of large-area monolayer MoTe₂ is challenging. Here, for the first time, we achieve the growth of a centimeter-sized monoclinic MoTe₂ monolayer and manifest the mechanism of immobilized precursor particle driven growth. Microscopic characterizations reveal an obvious trend of immobilized precursor particles being consumed by the monolayer and continuing to provide a source for the growth of the monolayer. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry verifies the attachment of hydroxide ions on the surface of the MoTe₂ monolayer, thereby realizing the inhibition of crystal growth along the [001] zone axis and the continuous growth of the MoTe₂ monolayer. The first-principles DFT calculations prove the mechanism of immobilized precursor particles and the absorption of hydroxide ions on the MoTe₂ monolayer. The as-grown MoTe₂ monolayer exhibits a surface roughness of 0.19 nm and average conductivity of 1.5 × 10^-5 S/m, which prove the smoothness and uniformity of the MoTe₂ monolayer. Temperature-dependent electrical measurements together with the transfer characteristic curves further demonstrate the typical semimetallic properties of monoclinic MoTe₂. Our research elaborates the microscopic process of immobilized precursor particles to grow large-area MoTe₂ monolayer and provides a new thinking about the growth of many other two-dimensional materials.

A large scaled-up monocrystalline 3R MoS2 electrocatalyst for efficient nitrogen reduction reactions

Large-scale 3R MoS₂ was shown to be an efficient electrocatalyst for the NRR, and the NRR performance can be enhanced via improving the crystallinity of MoS₂ due to decreased resistance.

Second-harmonic generation divergence-a method for domain size evaluation of 2D materials

Single-atomic-layered materials are important for future electronics. They allow optoelectronic devices to be fabricated at the single-atomic layer level. A single-atomic-layered two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) film is usually composed of randomly orientated single-crystalline domains, and the size distribution of the domains on a large-area film has a significant impact on the applications of the film, but the impact is difficult to characterize. We report an approach to evaluate the size of the single-crystalline domains by measuring the second-harmonic generation divergence caused by the domains of different orientations. Using this method, domain size mapping on an 8×8mm² region of a continuous MoS₂ film is achieved. This method provides a fast and efficient way of domain size characterization across a large area in a non-destructive and transfer-free manner for single-atomic-layered TMD films.

Wafer-Scale Highly Oriented Monolayer MoS2 with Large Domain Sizes

Two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is an emergent semiconductor with great potential in next-generation scaled-up electronics, but the production of high-quality monolayer MoS₂ wafers still remains a challenge. Here, we report an epitaxy route toward 4 in. monolayer MoS₂ wafers with highly oriented and large domains on sapphire. Benefiting from a multisource design for our chemical vapor deposition setup and the optimization of the growth process, we successfully realized material uniformity across the entire 4 in. wafer and greater than 100 μm domain size on average. These monolayers exhibit the best electronic quality ever reported, as evidenced from our spectroscopic and transport characterizations. Our work moves a step closer to practical applications of monolayer MoS₂.

One-Pot Selective Epitaxial Growth of Large WS2/MoS2 Lateral and Vertical Heterostructures

Controllable nucleation sites play a key role in the selective growth of heterostructures. Here, we are the first to report a one-pot strategy to realize the confined and selective growth of large MoS₂/WS₂ lateral and vertical heterostructures. A hydroxide-assisted process is introduced to control the nucleation sites, thereby realizing the optional formation of lateral and vertical heterostructures. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry verifies the critical role of hydroxide groups toward the controllable growth of these heterostructures. The size of the as-grown MoS₂/WS₂ lateral heterostructures can be as large as 1 mm, which is the largest lateral size reported thus far. The obtained MoS₂/WS₂ heterostructures have a high carrier mobility of ∼58 cm² V^-1 s^-1, and the maximum on/off current ratio is >10⁸. This approach provides not only a pathway for the selective growth of large MoS₂/WS₂ lateral and vertical heterostructures but also a fundamental understanding of surface chemistry for controlling the selective growth of transition-metal dichalcogenide heterostructures.

TFT Channel Materials for Display Applications: From Amorphous Silicon to Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

As the need for super-high-resolution displays with various form factors has increased, it has become necessary to produce high-performance thin-film transistors (TFTs) that enable faster switching and higher current driving of each pixel in the display. Over the past few decades, hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) has been widely utilized as a TFT channel material. More recently, to meet the requirement of new types of displays such as organic light-emitting diode displays, and also to overcome the performance and reliability issues of a-Si:H, low-temperature polycrystalline silicon and amorphous oxide semiconductors have partly replaced a-Si:H channel materials. Basic material properties and device structures of TFTs in commercial displays are explored, and then the potential of atomically thin layered transition metal dichalcogenides as next-generation channel materials is discussed.

Non-Carbon 2D Materials-Based Field-Effect Transistor Biosensors: Recent Advances, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

In recent years, field-effect transistors (FETs) have been very promising for biosensor applications due to their high sensitivity, real-time applicability, scalability, and prospect of integrating measurement system on a chip. Non-carbon 2D materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), black phosphorus (BP), and metal oxides, are a group of new materials that have a huge potential in FET biosensor applications. In this work, we review the recent advances and remarkable studies of non-carbon 2D materials, in terms of their structures, preparations, properties and FET biosensor applications. We will also discuss the challenges facing non-carbon 2D materials-FET biosensors and their future perspectives.

Growth and Grain Boundaries in 2D Materials

Grain boundaries (GBs) are a kind of lattice imperfection widely existing in two-dimensional materials, playing a critical role in materials' properties and device performance. Related key issues in this area have drawn much attention and are still under intense investigation. These issues include the characterization of GBs at different length scales, the dynamic formation of GBs during the synthesis, the manipulation of the configuration and density of GBs for specific material functionality, and the understanding of structure-property relationships and device applications. This review will provide a general introduction of progress in this field. Several techniques for characterizing GBs, such as direct imaging by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, visualization techniques of GBs by optical microscopy, plasmon propagation, or second harmonic generation, are presented. To understand the dynamic formation process of GBs during the growth, a general geometric approach and theoretical consideration are reviewed. Moreover, strategies controlling the density of GBs for GB-free materials or materials with tunable GB patterns are summarized, and the effects of GBs on materials' properties are discussed. Finally, challenges and outlook are provided.

An ultrathin MoSe2 photodetector with near-perfect absorption

An ultrathin near-perfect MoSe₂ absorber working in the visible regime is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally, and it consists of a MoSe₂/Au bi-layer film. The polymer-assisted deposition method is used to synthesize MoSe₂ films, which can reduce the roughness and thus improve the film absorption. Simulation results show that the absorption of the absorber with 22 nm MoSe₂ reaches to larger than 90% between 628.5 nm and 718 nm with a peak value up to 99.5% at 686 nm. Moreover, the measured absorption also shows near-perfect absorption of this simple absorber. Finally, an ultrathin photodetector is fabricated based on this perfect absorber and shows on/off reproducibility and remarkable photocurrent, which is three orders of magnitude higher than the dark current.

Fully stoichiometric Cu2BaSn(S1-x Se x )4 solar cells via chemical solution deposition

Cu₂BaSn(S_1-x Se _x )₄ has shown great prospects in the photoelectric field due to Earth-abundance, low toxicity, cost efficiency, direct bandgap, high absorption coefficient (>10⁴ cm^-1) and reduced anti-site disorder relative to Cu₂ZnSn(S_1-x Se _x )₄. A fully-tunable ratio of S/Se is the key to broaden the bandgap of Cu₂BaSn(S_1-x Se _x )₄. Here, we introduce a thionothiolic acid metathesis process to readily tune the stoichiometry of Cu₂BaSn(S_1-x Se _x )₄ films for the first time. Different stoichiometric Se/(S + Se) of Cu₂BaSn(S_1-x Se _x )₄ from zero to one can vary the bandgap range from 2 to 1.68 eV. The grain size of Cu₂BaSn(S_1-x Se _x )₄ films can be grown more than 10 μm. The optimized bandgap and high-quality growth of Cu₂BaSn(S_1-x Se _x )₄ films ensure the best power conversion efficiency of 2.01% for solution-processed Cu₂BaSn(S_1-x Se _x )₄ solar cells. This method provides an alternative solution-processed way for the synthesis of fully stoichiometric Cu₂BaSn(S_1-x Se _x )₄.

Designed Growth of Large-Size 2D Single Crystals

In the "post-Moore's Law" era, new materials are highly expected to bring next revolutionary technologies in electronics and optoelectronics, wherein 2D materials are considered as very promising candidates beyond bulk materials due to their superiorities of atomic thickness, excellent properties, full components, and the compatibility with the processing technologies of traditional complementary metal-oxide semiconductors, enabling great potential in fabrication of logic, storage, optoelectronic, and photonic 2D devices with better performances than state-of-the-art ones. Toward the massive applications of highly integrated 2D devices, large-size 2D single crystals are a prerequisite for the ultimate quality of materials and extreme uniformity of properties. However, at present, it is still very challenging to grow all 2D single crystals into the wafer scale. Therefore, a systematic understanding for controlled growth of various 2D single crystals needs to be further established. Here, four key aspects are reviewed, i.e., nucleation control, growth promotion, surface engineering, and phase control, which are expected to be controllable at different periods during the growth. In addition, the perspectives on designed growth and potential applications are discussed for showing the bright future of these advanced material systems of 2D single crystals.

2D heterogeneous vanadium compound interfacial modulation enhanced synergistic catalytic hydrogen evolution for full pH range seawater splitting

A novel electrocatalytic material VS2@V2C was proposed for the first time and successfully prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method. T-VS2 nanosheets were uniformly and vertically embedded on the V2C (MXene) matrix with a fewer layer structure. Owing to the fast charge transfer process at the interface of the two-phase structure and good conductivity, the composite material showed a lower hydrogen evolution overpotential and a very low Tafel slope in highly alkaline and highly acidic electrolytes (164 mV and 47.6 mV dec-1 in 1.0 M KOH; 138 mV and 37.9 mV dec-1 in 0.5 M H2SO4) under a current density of 20 mV cm-2. More importantly, high-efficiency and stable electrolysis of seawater was achieved at a current density greater than 100 mA cm-2, and the catalytic performance was significantly better than that of platinum-based alloys. First-principles calculations mechanically confirmed that VS2@V2C had higher carrier mobility and lower free energy of hydrogen adsorption. The VS2 nanosheets that grew outwards could provide support to avoid agglomeration on the catalyst surface and the edge sulfur sites of VS2 could promote the binding of adsorbed hydrogen atoms and the desorption of hydrogen molecules. Our work is expected to provide a valuable reference for the design and synthesis of the structure of industrial catalysts for hydrogen production from seawater in the future.

Enzyme-Free Glucose Biosensors Based on MoS2 Nanocomposites

High-performance glucose biosensors are highly desired for healthcare. To meet these demands, glucose biosensors, particularly enzyme-free glucose biosensors, have received much attention. Two-dimensional materials, e.g., graphene, with high surface area, excellent electrical properties, and good biocompatibility, have been the main focus of biosensor research in the last decade. This review presents the recent progress made in enzyme-free glucose biosensors based on MoS2 nanocomposites. Two different techniques for glucose detections are introduced, with an emphasis on electrochemical glucose biosensors. Challenges and future perspectives of MoS2 nanocomposite glucose biosensors are also discussed.

Direct Growth of Continuous and Uniform MoS2 Film on SiO2/Si Substrate Catalyzed by Sodium Sulfate

Because of its unique electronic band structure, molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has been regarded as a star semiconducting material. However, direct growth of continuous and high-quality MoS₂ films on SiO₂/Si substrates is still very challenging. Here, we report a facile chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method based on synergistic modulation of precursor and Na₂SO₄ catalysis, realizing the centimeter scale growth of a continuous MoS₂ film on SiO₂/Si substrates. The as-grown MoS₂ film had an excellent spatial homogeneity and crystal quality, with an edge length of the composite domain as large as 632 μm. Both experimental and theoretical results proved that Na tended to bond with SiO₂ substrates rather than to interfere with as-grown MoS₂. Thus, they showed decent and uniform electrical performance, with electron mobilities as high as 5.9 cm² V^-1 s^-1_. We believe our method will pave a new way for MoS₂ toward real application in modern electronics.

Adsorption Behavior of the Hydroxyl Radical and Its Effects on Monolayer MoS2

Based on first-principles density functional theory calculations, we investigated a modified routine using hydroxyl adsorption that recently demonstrated the controlled growth of MoS₂ monolayers. The new growth approach impedes the deposition of a second MoS₂ layer; however, the hydroxyl adsorption and its effects have been mostly unexplored. Through this study, we first explored the adsorption behaviors of the hydroxyl radical (OH) on monolayer MoS₂ and briefly discussed its effects on the stability and electronic structure. Monolayer MoS₂ repels charged OH^-, whereas the adsorption of the neutral OH radical is energetically favorable; the corresponding adsorption energies are 0.09 eV and -1.35 eV, respectively. The diffusion barrier of the OH radical on MoS₂ is 0.52 eV, indicating that the molecule can quickly diffuse. Next, the study demonstrated that for multiple OH adsorptions, a concerted reaction including OH dissociation and H₂O formation is more energetically favorable than the adsorption of two OH molecules by 2.50 eV, which in turn results in a mixed adsorption configuration of O and OH. In addition, we revealed that the OH adsorption creates a mid-gap state and facilitates the reconstruction of the MoS₂ edge.

Spatially Bandgap-Graded MoS2(1-x)Se2x Homojunctions for Self-Powered Visible-Near-Infrared Phototransistors

Ternary transition metal dichalcogenide alloys with spatially graded bandgaps are an emerging class of two-dimensional materials with unique features, which opens up new potential for device applications. Here, visible-near-infrared and self-powered phototransistors based on spatially bandgap-graded MoS2(1-x)Se2x alloys, synthesized by a simple and controllable chemical solution deposition method, are reported. The graded bandgaps, arising from the spatial grading of Se composition and thickness within a single domain, are tuned from 1.83 to 1.73 eV, leading to the formation of a homojunction with a built-in electric field. Consequently, a strong and sensitive gate-modulated photovoltaic effect is demonstrated, enabling the homojunction phototransistors at zero bias to deliver a photoresponsivity of 311 mA W-1, a specific detectivity up to ~ 1011 Jones, and an on/off ratio up to ~ 104. Remarkably, when illuminated by the lights ranging from 405 to 808 nm, the biased devices yield a champion photoresponsivity of 191.5 A W-1, a specific detectivity up to ~ 1012 Jones, a photoconductive gain of 106-107, and a photoresponsive time in the order of ~ 50 ms. These results provide a simple and competitive solution to the bandgap engineering of two-dimensional materials for device applications without the need for p-n junctions.

UV-Visible Photodetector Based on I-type Heterostructure of ZnO-QDs/Monolayer MoS2

Monolayer MoS₂ has shown excellent photoresponse properties, but its promising applications in high-sensitivity photodetection suffer from the atomic-thickness-limited adsorption and band gap-limited spectral selectivity. Here we have carried out investigations on MoS₂ monolayer-based photodetectors with and without decoration of ZnO quantum dots (ZnO-QDs) for comparison. Compared with monolayer MoS₂ photodetectors, the monolayer ZnO-QDs/MoS₂ hybrid device exhibits faster response speed (1.5 s and 1.1 s, respectively), extended broadband photoresponse range (deep UV-visible), and enhanced photoresponse in visible spectrum, such as higher responsivity over 0.084 A/W and larger detectivity of 1.05 × 10¹¹ Jones, which results from considerable injection of carries from ZnO-QDs to MoS₂ due to the formation of I-type heterostructure existing in the contact interface of them.

Quick Optical Identification of the Defect Formation in Monolayer WSe2 for Growth Optimization

Bottom-up epitaxy has been widely applied for transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) growth. However, this method usually leads to a high density of defects in the crystal, which limits its optoelectronic performance. Here, we show the effect of growth temperature on the defect formation, optical performance, and crystal stability in monolayer WSe₂ via a combination of Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy study. We found that the defect formation and distribution in monolayer WSe₂ are closely related to the growth temperature. These defect density and distribution can be controlled by adjusting the growth temperature. Aging experiments directly demonstrate that these defects are an active center for the decomposition process. Instead, monolayer WSe₂ grown under optimal conditions shows a strong and uniform emission dominated by neutral exciton at room temperature. The results provide an effective approach to optimize TMDCs growth.

Primary Nucleation-Dominated Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth for Uniform Graphene Monolayers on Dielectric Substrate

Direct chemical vapor deposition growth of high quality graphene on dielectric substrates holds great promise for practical applications in electronics and optoelectronics. However, graphene growth on dielectrics always suffers from the issues of inhomogeneity and/or poor quality. Here, we first reveal that a novel precursor-modification strategy can successfully suppress the secondary nucleation of graphene to evolve ultrauniform graphene monolayer film on dielectric substrates. A mechanistic study indicates that the hydroxylation of silica substrate weakens the binding between graphene edges and substrate, thus realizing the primary nucleation-dominated growth. Field-effect transistors based on the graphene films show exceptional electrical performance with the charge carrier mobility up to 3800 cm² V^-1 s^-1 in air, which is much higher than those reported results of graphene films grown on dielectrics.

Pressure Induced Nanoparticle Phase Behavior, Property, and Applications

Nanoparticle (NP) high pressure behavior has been extensively studied over the years. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the studies of pressure induced NP phase behavior, property, and applications. This review starts with a brief overview of high pressure characterization techniques, coupled with synchrotron X-ray scattering, Raman, fluorescence, and absorption. Then, we survey the pressure induced phase transition of NP atomic crystal structure including size dependent phase transition, amorphization, and threshold pressures using several typical NP material systems as examples. Next, we discuss the pressure induced phase transition of NP mesoscale structures including topics on pressure induced interparticle separation distance, NP coupling, and NP coalescence. Pressure induced new properties and applications in different NP systems are highlighted. Finally, outlooks with future directions are discussed.