Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Direct vapor phase growth process and robust photoluminescence properties of large area MoS2 layers

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Nano Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There has been growing research interest in the use of molybdenum disulfide in the fields of optoelectronics and energy harvesting devices, by virtue of its indirect-to-direct band gap tunability. However, obtaining large area thin films of MoS2 for future device applications still remains a challenge. In the present study, the amounts of the precursors (S and MoO3) were varied systematically in order to optimize the growth of highly crystalline and large area MoS2 layers by the chemical vapor deposition method. Careful control of the amounts of precursors was found to the key factor in the synthesis of large area highly crystalline flakes. The thickness of the layers was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The optical properties and chemical composition were studied by photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The emergence of strong direct excitonic emissions at 1.82 eV (A-exciton, with a normalized PL intensity of ∼55 × 103) and 1.98 eV (B-exciton, with a normalized PL intensity of ∼5 × 103) of the sample at room temperature clearly indicates the high luminescence quantum efficiency. The mobility of the films was found to be 0.09 cm2/(V·s) at room temperature. This study provides a method for the controlled synthesis of high-quality two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide materials, useful for applications in nanodevices, optoelectronics and solar energy conversion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Mas-Ballesté, R.; Gómez-Navarro, C.; Gómez-Herrero, J.; Zamora, F. 2D materials: To graphene and beyond. Nanoscale 2011, 3, 20–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Radisavljevic, B.; Whitwick, M. B.; Kis, A. Integrated circuits and logic operations based on single-layer MoS2. ACS Nano 2011, 5, 9934–9938.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ko, H.; Takei, K.; Kapadia, R.; Chuang, S.; Fang, H.; Leu, P. W.; Ganapathi, K.; Plis, E.; Kim, H. S.; Chen, S.-Y.; et al. Ultrathin compound semiconductor on insulator layers for high-performance nanoscale transistors. Nature 2010, 468, 286–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Li, X.; Cai, W. W.; An, J.; Kim, S.; Nah, J.; Yang, D. X.; Piner, R.; Velamakanni, A.; Jung, I.; Tutuc, E.; et al. Largearea synthesis of high-quality and uniform graphene films on copper foils. Science 2009, 324, 1312–1314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bae, S.; Kim, H.; Lee, Y.; Xu, X. F.; Park, J.-S.; Zheng, Y.; Balakrishnan, J.; Lei, T.; Ri Kim, H.; Song, Y. I.; et al. Roll-to-roll production of 30-inch graphene films for transparent electrodes. Nat. Nanotechnol. 2010, 5, 574–578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Reina, A.; Jia, X. T.; Ho, J.; Nezich, D.; Son, H.; Bulovic, V.; Dresselhaus, M. S.; Kong, J. Large area, few-layer graphene films on arbitrary substrates by chemical vapor deposition. Nano Lett. 2009, 9, 30–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Balendhran, S.; Ou, J. Z.; Bhaskaran, M.; Sriram, S.; Ippolito, S.; Vasic, Z.; Kats, E.; Bhargava, S.; Zhuiykov, S.; Kalantar-zadeh, K. Atomically thin layers of MoS2 via a two step thermal evaporation-exfoliation method. Nanoscale 2012, 4, 461–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Wang, Q. H.; Kalantar-Zadeh, K.; Kis, A.; Coleman, J. N.; Strano, M. S. Electronics and optoelectronics of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. Nat. Nanotechnol. 2012, 7, 699–712.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Radisavljevic B.; Radenovic A.; Brivio J.; Giacometti V.; Kis A. Single-layer MoS2 transistors. Nat. Nanotechnol. 2011, 6, 147–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Chhowalla, M.; Shin, H. S.; Eda, G.; Li, L.-J.; Loh, K. P.; Zhang, H. The chemistry of two-dimensional layered transition metal dichalcogenide nanosheets. Nat. Chem. 2013, 5, 263–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Song, X. F.; Hu, J. L.; Zeng, H. B. Two-dimensional semiconductors: Recent progress and future perspectives. J. Mater. Chem. C 2013, 1, 2952–2969.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Lopez-Sanchez, O.; Lembke, D.; Kayci, M.; Radenovic, A.; Kis, A. Ultrasensitive photodetectors based on monolayer MoS2. Nat. Nanotechnol. 2013, 8, 497–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. He, Q. Y.; Zeng, Z. Y.; Yin, Z. Y.; Li, H.; Wu, S. X.; Huang, X.; Zhang, H. Fabrication of flexible MoS2 thin-film transistor arrays for practical gas-sensing applications. Small 2012, 8, 2994–2999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Li, H.; Wu, J.; Yin, Z. Y.; Zhang, H. Preparation and applications of mechanically exfoliated single-layer and multilayer MoS2 and WSe2 nanosheets. Acc. Chem. Res. 2014, 47, 1067–1075.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Huang, X.; Tan, C. L.; Yin, Z. Y.; Zhang, H. 25th Anniversary article: Hybrid nanostructures based on two-dimensional nanomaterials. Adv. Mater. 2014, 26, 2185–2204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Huang, X.; Zeng, Z. Y.; Zhang, H. Metal dichalcogenide nanosheets: Preparation, properties and applications. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2013, 42, 1934–1946.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Yin, Z. Y.; Li, H.; Li, H.; Jiang, L.; Shi, Y. M.; Sun, Y. H.; Lu, G.; Zhang, Q.; Chen, X. D.; Zhang, H. Single-layer MoS2 phototransistors. ACS Nano 2012, 6, 74–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Li, H.; Yin, Z. Y.; He, Q. Y.; Li, H.; Huang, X.; Lu, G.; Fam, D. W. H.; Tok, A. I. Y.; Zhang, Q.; Zhang, H. Fabrication of single- and multilayer MoS2 film-based field-effect transistors for sensing NO at room temperature. Small 2012, 8, 63–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Splendiani, A.; Sun, L.; Zhang, Y. B.; Li, T. S.; Kim, J.; Chim, C.-Y.; Galli, G.; Wang, F. Emerging photoluminescence in monolayer MoS2. Nano Lett. 2010, 10, 1271–1275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Mak, K. F.; He, K. L.; Shan, J.; Heinz, T. F. Control of valley polarization in monolayer MoS2 by optical helicity. Nat. Nanotechnol. 2012, 7, 494–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Zhan, Y. J.; Liu, Z.; Najmaei, S.; Ajayan, P. M.; Lou, J. Large-area vapor-phase growth and characterization of MoS2 atomic layers on a SiO2 Substrate. Small 2012, 8, 966–971.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Liu, K.-K.; Zhang, W. J.; Lee, Y.-H.; Lin, Y.-C.; Chang, M.-T.; Su, C.-Y.; Chang, C.-S.; Li, H.; Shi, Y. M.; Zhang, H.; et al. Growth of large-area and highly crystalline MoS2 thin layers on insulating substrates. Nano Lett. 2012, 12, 1538–1544.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Margulis, L.; Salitra, G.; Tenne, R.; Talianker, M. Nested fullerene-like structures. Nature 1993, 365, 113–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lee, Y.-H.; Zhang, X.-Q.; Zhang, W. J.; Chang, M.-T.; Lin, C.-T.; Chang, K.-D.; Yu, Y.-C.; Wang, J. T.-W.; Chang, C.-S.; Li, L.-J.; et al. Synthesis of large-area MoS2 atomic layers with chemical vapor deposition. Adv. Mater. 2012, 24, 2320–2325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Feldman, Y.; Wasserman, E.; Srolovitz, D. J.; Tenne, R. High-rate, gas-phase growth of MoS2 nested inorganic fullerenes and nanotubes. Science 1995, 267, 222–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Najmaei, S.; Liu, Z.; Zhou, W.; Zou, X. L.; Shi, G.; Lei, S. D.; Yakobson, B. I.; Idrobo, J.-C.; Ajayan, P. M.; Lou, J. Vapour phase growth and grain boundary structure of molybdenum disulphide atomic layers. Nat. Mater. 2013, 12, 754–759.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Weber, T.; Muijsers, J. C.; van Wolput, J. H. M. C.; Verhagen, C. P. J.; Niemantsverdriet, J. W. Basic reaction steps in the sulfidation of crystalline MoO3 to MoS2, as studied by X-ray photoelectron and infrared emission spectroscopy. J. Phys. Chem. 1996, 100, 14144–14150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Li, B.; Yang, S. X.; Huo, N. J.; Li, Y. T.; Yang, J. H.; Li, R. X.; Fan, C.; Lu, F. Y. Growth of large area few-layer or monolayer MoS2 from controllable MoO3 nanowire nuclei. RSC Adv. 2014, 4, 26407–26412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. van der Zande, A. M.; Huang, P. Y.; Chenet, D. A.; Berkelbach, T. C.; You, Y. M.; Lee, G.-H.; Heinz, T. F.; Reichman, D. R.; Muller, D. A.; Hone, J. C. Grains and grain boundaries in highly crystalline monolayer molybdenum disulphide. Nat. Mater. 2013, 12, 554–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Lee, C.; Yan, H.; Brus, L. E.; Heinz, T. F.; Hone, J.; Ryu, S. Anomalous lattice vibrations of single- and few-layer MoS2. ACS Nano 2010, 4, 2695–2700.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Ji, Q. Q.; Zhang, Y. F.; Gao, T.; Zhang, Y.; Ma, D. L.; Liu, M. X.; Chen, Y. B.; Qiao, X. F.; Tan, P.-H.; Kan, M.; et al. Epitaxial monolayer MoS2 on mica with novel photoluminescence. Nano Lett. 2013, 13, 3870–3877.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Mak, K. F.; Lee, C.; Hone, J.; Shan, J.; Heinz, T. F. Atomically thin MoS2: A new direct-gap semiconductor. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2010, 105, 136805.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Novoselov, K. S.; Jiang, D.; Schedin, F.; Booth, T. J.; Khotkevich, V. V.; Morozov, S. V.; Geim, A. K. Two-dimensional atomic crystals. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2005, 102, 10451–10453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Feng, Z. C.; Mascarenhas, A.; Choyke, W. J. Low temperature photoluminescence spectra of (001) CdTe films grown by molecular beam epitaxy at different substrate temperatures. J. Lumin. 1986, 35, 329–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Schmidt, T.; Lischka, K.; Zulehner, W. Excitation-power dependence of the near-band-edge photoluminescence of semiconductors. Phys. Rev. B 1992, 45, 8989–8994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Zhang, Z. J.; Zhang, J.; Xue, Q. J. Synthesis and characterization of a molybdenum disulfide nanocluster. J. Phys. Chem. 1994, 98, 12973–12977.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Yu, Y. F.; Li, C.; Liu, Y.; Su, L. Q.; Zhang, Y.; Cao, L. Y. Controlled scalable synthesis of uniform, high-quality monolayer and few-layer MoS2 films. Sci. Rep. 2013, 3, 1866.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Lu, C. X.; Liu, W.-W.; Li, H.; Tay, B. K. A binder-free CNT network-MoS2 composite as a high performance anode material in lithium ion batteries. Chem. Commun. 2014, 50, 3338–3340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Remskar, M.; Mrzel, A.; Virsek, M.; Godec, M.; Krause, M.; Kolitsch, A.; Singh, A.; Seabaugh, A. The MoS2 nanotubes with defect-controlled electric properties. Nanoscale Res. Lett. 2011, 6, 26.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Li, X. L.; Li, Y. D. Formation of MoS2 inorganic fullerenes (IFs) by the reaction of MoO3 nanobelts and S. Chem. Eur. J. 2003, 9, 2726–2731.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Huang, P. Y.; Ruiz-Vargas, C. S.; van der Zande, A. M.; Whitney, W. S.; Levendorf, M. P.; Kevek, J. W.; Garg, S.; Alden, J. S.; Hustedt, C. J.; Zhu, Y.; et al. Grains and grain boundaries in single-layer graphene atomic patchwork quilts. Nature 2011, 469, 389–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Energy Harvest Storage Research Center (EHSRC), University of Ulsan, Ulsan, 680-749, South Korea

    V. Senthilkumar, Le C. Tam & Yong Soo Kim

  2. Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy, Binghamton University, New York, 13902, USA

    Yong Soo Kim & Joon. I. Jang

  3. Department of Physics, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 156-756, South Korea

    Yumin Sim & Maeng-Je Seong

Authors
  1. V. Senthilkumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Le C. Tam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yong Soo Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yumin Sim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Maeng-Je Seong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Joon. I. Jang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yong Soo Kim.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Senthilkumar, V., Tam, L.C., Kim, Y.S. et al. Direct vapor phase growth process and robust photoluminescence properties of large area MoS2 layers. Nano Res. 7, 1759–1768 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0535-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0535-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation