Production Methods of Van der Waals Heterostructures Based on Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

Chemical bonding within AIIIBVI materials under uniaxial compression

The work provides a comprehensive explanation of the nature of chemical bonding through quantum chemical topology for multilayers of AIIIBVI compounds, such as GaSe, InSe, and GaTe, spanning pressures from 0 GPa to 30 GPa. These compounds are subjected to pressure orthogonal to the multilayers. Quantum chemical topological indices indicate that uniaxial pressure induces changes in hybridisation, leading to the disappearance of interlayer van der Waals forces. The distinct nature of the elements within the compounds results in different pressures at which van der Waals interactions disappear, as revealed by non-covalent interaction analysis. The presence or absence of chemical bonding is assessed by quantum topological indices as Espinosa indices, charge density distribution difference, and crystal orbital Hamilton populations. The varying changes in hybridisation, as indicated by topological indices, are corroborated by variations in the population of the electronic projected density of states. Ultimately, the type of chemical bonding is identified through the Espinosa indices in the field of Bader theory. This analysis confirms the existence of shared shell bonds between AIII and BVI atoms in vacuum that goes to an intermediate bond between shared and closed shells called the transition zone with increasing pressure. The implications and importance of this work extend beyond the presented results. It suggests that many other classes of two-dimensional materials may undergo phase transitions under uniaxial stress, leading to the formation of new phases with potentially interesting electronic properties.

High-Performance Nanoscale Metallic Multilayer Composites: Techniques, Mechanical Properties and Applications

Due to their exceptional properties and diverse applications, including to magnetic devices, thermoelectric materials, catalysis, biomedicine, and energy storage, nanoscale metallic multilayer composites (NMMCs) have recently attracted great attention. The alternating layers of two or more metals that make up NMMCs are each just a few nanometers thick. The difficulties in producing and synthesizing new materials can be overcome by using nanoscale multilayer architectures. By adjusting the layer thickness, composition, and interface structure, the mechanical properties of these materials can be controlled. In addition, NMMCs exhibit unusually high strength at thin layer thicknesses because the multilayers have exceptionally high strength, as the individual layer thicknesses are reduced to the nanoscale. The properties of NMMCs depend on the individual layers. This means that the properties can be tuned by varying the layer thickness, composition, and interface structure. Therefore, this review article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanical properties and the application of high-performance NMMCs. The paper briefly discusses the fabrication methods used to produce these composites and highlights their potential in various fields, such as electronics, energy storage, aerospace, and biomedical engineering. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the above composite materials are analyzed in detail. The review concludes with a discussion of the future prospects and challenges associated with the development of NMMCs.

Defect engineered magnetism induction and electronic structure modulation in monolayer MoS2

The electronic, magnetic, and optical characteristics of a defective monolayer MoS2 were examined by employing density functional theory (DFT)-based first-principles calculations. The effects of several defects on the electrical, magnetic, and optical properties, including Mo vacancies, MoS3 vacancies, and the substitution of a single Mo atom by two S atoms were studied in this work. Our first-principles calculations revealed that different types of defects produced distinct energy states within the band gap, leading to a band gap reduction after the introduction of various types of defects, which caused a change from semiconducting to metallic behavior. The spin-up and spin-down states were separated in the case of MoS3 vacancy. The total magnetization was ∼ -0.83 μ B /cell, and the absolute magnetization was ∼ 1.23 μ B /cell. Moreover, spin-up states had a 0.45 eV band gap, whereas spin-down states were metallic. Consequently, it can be promising for spin filter applications. It was disclosed that the broadband part of the electromagnetic spectrum has a high absorption coefficient, which is necessary for applications including impurity detection, photodiodes, and solar cells. Designing spintronic and optoelectronic devices will benefit from the modification of the electrical, optical, and magnetic properties by defect engineering of MoS2 monolayers presented here.

Optically Active MXenes in Van der Waals Heterostructures

The vertical integration of distinct 2D materials in van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures provides the opportunity for interface engineering and modulation of electronic as well as optical properties. However, scarce experimental studies reveal many challenges for vdW heterostructures, hampering the fine-tuning of their electronic and optical functionalities. Optically active MXenes, the most recent member of the 2D family, with excellent hydrophilicity, rich surface chemistry, and intriguing optical properties, are a novel 2D platform for optoelectronics applications. Coupling MXenes with various 2D materials into vdW heterostructures can open new avenues for the exploration of physical phenomena of novel quantum-confined nanostructures and devices. Therefore, the fundamental basis and recent findings in vertical vdW heterostructures composed of MXenes as a primary component and other 2D materials as secondary components are examined. Their robust designs and synthesis approaches that can push the boundaries of light-harvesting, transition, and utilization are discussed, since MXenes provide a unique playground for pursuing an extraordinary optical response or unusual light conversion features/functionalities. The recent findings are finally summarized, and a perspective for the future development of next-generation vdW multifunctional materials enriched by MXenes is provided.

MgO Heterostructures: From Synthesis to Applications

The energy storage capacity of batteries and supercapacitors has seen rising demand and problems as large-scale energy storage systems and electric gadgets have become more widely adopted. With the development of nano-scale materials, the electrodes of these devices have changed dramatically. Heterostructure materials have gained increased interest as next-generation materials due to their unique interfaces, resilient structures and synergistic effects, providing the capacity to improve energy/power outputs and battery longevity. This review focuses on the role of MgO in heterostructured magnetic and energy storage devices and their applications and synthetic strategies. The role of metal oxides in manufacturing heterostructures has received much attention, especially MgO. Heterostructures have stronger interactions between tightly packed interfaces and perform better than single structures. Due to their typical physical and chemical properties, MgO heterostructures have made a breakthrough in energy storage. In perpendicularly magnetized heterostructures, the MgO's thickness significantly affects the magnetic properties, which is good news for the next generation of high-speed magnetic storage devices.

Synthesis of transition metal dichalcogenide van der Waals heterostructures through chemical vapor deposition

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures show great potential in the exploration of novel physical phenomena and practical applications. Compared to the traditional mechanical stacking techniques, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method exhibits more advantages in preparing TMD vdW heterostructures. CVD enables the large-scale production of high-quality materials with clean interfaces in the future. Herein, CVD methods for the synthesis of TMD vdW heterostructures are summarized. These methods are categorized in two major strategies, multi-step process and one-step process. The effects of various factors are demonstrated, including the temperature, nucleation, and precursors. Finally, the remaining challenges are discussed.

Transition metal dichalcogenide graded alloy monolayers by chemical vapor deposition and comparison to 2D Ising model

In this work, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method was developed for the synthesis of transition metal dichalcogenide alloy monolayers, with a composition gradient in the radial direction. The composition gradient was achieved by controlling the substrate cooling rate during the CVD growth. The two types of alloys, namely, WS_2(1-x)Se_2x and MoS_2(1-x)Se_2x, were found to exhibit an opposite composition gradient. This is attributed to their different cohesive energies. A two-dimensional Ising model is used to explain the growth mechanism, where two ends of the composition were modeled as a magnetically ordered phase and a paramagnetic phase. The composition as a function of substrate temperature is then represented by the thermal magnetization curve.

Recent Advances on Tuning the Interlayer Coupling and Properties in van der Waals Heterostructures

2D van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures are receiving increasing research attention due to the theoretically amazing properties and unprecedented application potential. However, the as-synthesized heterostructures are generally underperforming due to the weak interlayer coupling, which inspires the researchers to find ways to modulate the interlayer coupling and properties, realizing the tailored performance for actual applications. There have been a lot of publications regarding the controllable regulation of the structures and properties of 2D vdW heterostructures in the past few years, while a review work summarizing the current advances is not yet available, though it is significant. This paper conducts a state-of-the-art review regarding the current research progress of performance modulation of vdW heterostructures by different techniques. First, the general synthesis methods of vdW heterostructures are summarized. Then, different performance modulation techniques, that is, mechanical-based, external fields-assisted, and particle beam irradiation-based methods, are discussed and compared in detail. Some of the newly proposed concepts are described. Thereafter, applications of vdW heterostructures with tailored properties are reviewed for the application prospects of the topic around this area. Moreover, the future research challenges and prospects are discussed, aiming at triggering more research interest and device applications around this topic.

A review on vertical and lateral heterostructures of semiconducting 2D-MoS2 with other 2D materials: a feasible perspective for energy conversion

Fossil fuels as a double-edged sword are essential to daily life. However, the depletion of fossil fuel reservoirs has increased the search for alternative renewable energy sources to procure a more sustainable society. Accordingly, energy production through water splitting, CO₂ reduction and N₂ reduction via photocatalytic and electrocatalytic pathways is being contemplated as a greener methodology with zero environmental pollution. Owing to their atomic-level thickness, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor catalysts have triggered the reawakening of interest in the field of energy and environmental applications. Among them, following the unconventional properties of graphene, 2D MoS₂ has been widely investigated due to its outstanding optical and electronic properties. However, the photo/electrocatalytic performance of 2D-MoS₂ is still unsatisfactory due to its low charge carrier density. Recently, the development of 2D/2D heterojunctions has evoked interdisciplinary research fascination in the scientific community, which can mitigate the shortcomings associated with 2D-MoS₂. Following the recent research trends, the present review covers the recent findings and key aspects on the synthetic methods, fundamental properties and practical applications of semiconducting 2D-MoS₂ and its heterostructures with other 2D materials such as g-C₃N₄, graphene, CdS, TiO₂, MXene, black phosphorous, and boron nitride. Besides, this review details the viable application of these materials in the area of hydrogen energy production via the H₂O splitting reaction, N₂ fixation to NH₃ formation and CO₂ reduction to different value-added hydrocarbons and alcohol products through both photocatalysis and electrocatalysis. The crucial role of the interface together with the charge separation principle between two individual 2D structures towards achieving satisfactory activity for various applications is presented. Overall, the current studies provide a snapshot of the recent breakthroughs in the development of various 2D/2D-based catalysts in the field of energy production, delivering opportunities for future research.

Scanning Probe Spectroscopy of WS2/Graphene Van Der Waals Heterostructures

In this paper, we present a study of tungsten disulfide (WS2) two-dimensional (2D) crystals, grown on epitaxial Graphene. In particular, we have employed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and µRaman spectroscopy combined with multifunctional scanning probe microscopy (SPM), operating in peak force-quantitative nano mechanical (PF-QNM), ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) and electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) modes. This comparative approach provides a wealth of useful complementary information and allows one to cross-analyze on the nanoscale the morphological, mechanical, and electrostatic properties of the 2D heterostructures analyzed. Herein, we show that PF-QNM can accurately map surface properties, such as morphology and adhesion, and that UFM is exceptionally sensitive to a broader range of elastic properties, helping to uncover subsurface features located at the buried interfaces. All these data can be correlated with the local electrostatic properties obtained via EFM mapping of the surface potential, through the cantilever response at the first harmonic, and the dielectric permittivity, through the cantilever response at the second harmonic. In conclusion, we show that combining multi-parametric SPM with SEM and µRaman spectroscopy helps to identify single features of the WS2/Graphene/SiC heterostructures analyzed, demonstrating that this is a powerful tool-set for the investigation of 2D materials stacks, a building block for new advanced nano-devices.

Making van der Waals Heterostructures Assembly Accessible to Everyone

Van-der Waals heterostructures assembled from one or few atomic layer thickness crystals are becoming increasingly more popular in condensed matter physics. These structures are assembled using transfer machines, those are based on mask aligners, probe stations or are home-made. For many laboratories it is vital to build a simple, convenient and universal transfer machine. In this paper we discuss the guiding principles for the design of such a machine, review the existing machines and demonstrate our own construction, that is powerful and fast-in-operation. All components of this machine are extremely cheap and can be easily purchased using common online retail services. Moreover, assembling a heterostructure out of exfoliated commercially available hexagonal boron nitride and tungsten diselenide crystals with a pick-up technique and using the microphotolumenescence spectra, we show well-resolved exciton and trion lines, as a results of disorder suppression in WSe2 monolayer. Our results thus show that technology of the two-dimensional materials and heterostructures becomes accessible to anyone.

Electron-Driven In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy of 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides and Their 2D Heterostructures

Investigations on monolayered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and TMD heterostructures have been steadily increasing over the past years due to their potential application in a wide variety of fields such as microelectronics, sensors, batteries, solar cells, and supercapacitors, among others. The present work focuses on the characterization of TMDs using transmission electron microscopy, which allows not only static atomic resolution but also investigations into the dynamic behavior of atoms within such materials. Herein, we present a body of recent research from the various techniques available in the transmission electron microscope to structurally and analytically characterize layered TMDs and briefly compare the advantages of TEM with other characterization techniques. Whereas both static and dynamic aspects are presented, special emphasis is given to studies on the electron-driven in situ dynamic aspects of these materials while under investigation in a transmission electron microscope. The collection of the presented results points to a future prospect where electron-driven nanomanipulation may be routinely used not only in the understanding of fundamental properties of TMDs but also in the electron beam engineering of nanocircuits and nanodevices.

Hexagonal Boron Nitride Functionalized with Au Nanoparticles-Properties and Potential Biological Applications

Hexagonal boron nitride is often referred to as white graphene. This is a 2D layered material, with a structure similar to graphene. It has gained many applications in cosmetics, dental cements, ceramics etc. Hexagonal boron nitride is also used in medicine, as a drug carrier similar as graphene or graphene oxide. Here we report that this material can be exfoliated in two steps: chemical treatment (via modified Hummers method) followed by the sonication treatment. Afterwards, the surface of the obtained material can be efficiently functionalized with gold nanoparticles. The mitochondrial activity was not affected in L929 and MCF-7 cell line cultures during 24-h incubation, whereas longer incubation (for 48, and 72 h) with this nanocomposite affected the cellular metabolism. Lysosome functionality, analyzed using the NR uptake assay, was also reduced in both cell lines. Interestingly, the rate of MCF-7 cell proliferation was reduced when exposed to h-BN loaded with gold nanoparticles. It is believed that h-BN nanocomposite with gold nanoparticles is an attractive material for cancer drug delivery and photodynamic therapy in cancer killing.