Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Direct synthesis of ultra-thin large area transition metal dichalcogenides and their heterostructures on stretchable polymer surfaces

  • Article
  • Published:
Journal of Materials Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A scalable approach for synthesis of ultra-thin (<10 nm) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) films on stretchable polymeric materials is presented. Specifically, magnetron sputtering from pure TMD targets, such as MoS2 and WS2, was used for growth of amorphous precursor films at room temperature on polydimethylsiloxane substrates. Stacks of different TMD films were grown upon each other and integrated with optically transparent insulating layers such as boron nitride. These precursor films were subsequently laser annealed to form high quality, few-layer crystalline TMDs. This combination of sputtering and laser annealing is commercially scalable and lends itself well to patterning. Analysis by Raman spectroscopy, scanning probe, optical, and transmission electron microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm our assertions and illustrate annealing mechanisms. Electrical properties of simple devices built on flexible substrates are correlated to annealing processes. This new approach is a significant step toward commercial-scale stretchable 2D heterostructured nanoelectronic devices.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

FIG. 1
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
FIG. 4
FIG. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. D. Akinwande, N. Petrone, and J. Hone: Two-dimensional flexible nanoelectronics. Nat. Commun. 5, 5678 (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. R. Fivaz and R. Mooser: Mobility of charge carriers in semiconducting layer structures. Phys. Rev. 163, 743–755 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. T. Böker, R. Severin, A. Müller, C. Janowitz, R. Manzke, D. Voß, P. Krüger, A. Mazur, and J. Pollmann: Band structure of MoS2, MoSe2, and a-MoTe2: Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and Ab initio calculations. Phys. Rev. B 64, 235305 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. G-H. Lee, Y-J. Yu, X. Cui, N. Petrone, C-H. Lee, M.S. Choi, D-Y. Lee, C. Lee, W.J. Yoo, and K. Watanabe: Flexible and transparent MoS2 field-effect transistors on hexagonal boron nitride-graphene heterostructures. ACS Nano 7, 7931–7936 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. A.K. Geim and I.V. Grigorieva: van der Waals heterostructures. Nature 499, 419–425 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. J.N. Coleman, M. Lotya, A. O’Neill, S.D. Bergin, P.J. King, U. Khan, K. Young, A. Gaucher, S. De, and R.J. Smith: Two-dimensional nanosheets produced by liquid exfoliation of layered materials. Science 331, 568–571 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. L. Niu, K. Li, H. Zhen, Y-S. Chui, W. Zhang, F. Yan, and Z. Zheng: Salt-assisted high-throughput synthesis of single- and few-layer transition metal dichalcogenides and their application in organic solar cells. Small 10, 4651–4657 (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. R.J. Smith, P.J. King, M. Lotya, C. Wirtz, U. Khan, S. De, A. O’Neill, G.S. Duesberg, J.C. Grunlan, and G. Moriarty: Large-scale exfoliation of inorganic layered compounds in aqueous surfactant solutions. Adv. Mater. 23, 3944–3948 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Y. Yu, C. Li, Y. Liu, L. Su, Y. Zhang, and L. Cao: Controlled scalable synthesis of uniform, high-quality monolayer and few-layer MoS2 films. Sci. Rep. 3, 1866–1871 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Y-H. Lee, L. Yu, H. Wang, W. Fang, X. Ling, Y. Shi, C-T. Lin, J-K. Huang, M-T. Chang, and C-S. Chang: Synthesis and transfer of single-layer transition metal disulfides on diverse surfaces. Nano Lett. 13, 1852–1857 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. G.A. Salvatore, N. Münzenrieder, C. Barraud, L. Petti, C. Zysset, L. Büthe, K. Ensslin, and G. Tröster: Fabrication and transfer of flexible few-layer MoS2 thin film transistors to any arbitrary substrate. ACS Nano 7, 8809–8815 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. X. Wang, H. Feng, Y. Wu, and L. Jiao: Controlled synthesis of highly crystalline MoS2 flakes by chemical vapor deposition. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 135, 5304–5307 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. C. Muratore, J.J. Hu, B. Wang, M.A. Haque, J.E. Bultman, M.L. Jespersen, P.J. Shamberger, M.E. McConney, R.D. Naguy, and A.A. Voevodin: Continuous ultra-thin MoS2 films grown by low-temperature physical vapor deposition. Appl. Phys. Lett. 104, 261604 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. J. Tao, J. Chai, X. Lu, L.M. Wong, T.I. Wong, J. Pan, Q. Xiong, D. Chi, and S. Wang: Growth of wafer-scale MoS2 monolayer by magnetron sputtering. Nanoscale 7, 2497–2503 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. T. Alam, B. Wang, R. Pulavarthy, M.A. Haque, C. Muratore, N. Glavin, A.K. Roy, and A.A. Voevodin: Domain engineering of physical vapor deposited two-dimensional materials. Appl. Phys. Lett. 105, 213110 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. N. Bowden, S. Brittain, A.G. Evans, J.W. Hutchinson, and G.M. Whitesides: Spontaneous formation of ordered structures in thin films of metals supported on an elastomeric polymer. Nature 393, 146–149 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. W.T.S. Huck, N. Bowden, P. Onck, T. Pardoen, J.W. Hutchinson, and G.M. Whitesides: Ordering of spontaneously formed buckles on planar surfaces. Langmuir 16, 3497–3501 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. E. Cerda and L. Mahadevan: Geometry and physics of wrinkling. Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 074302–1–074302–4 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. S.P. Lacour, S. Wagner, Z. Huang, and Z. Suo: Stretchable gold conductors on elastomeric substrates. Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 2404–2406 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. H.Y. Yu, C. Kim, and S.C. Sanday: Buckle formation in vacuum-deposited thin films. Thin Solid Films 196, 229–233 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. J.A. Rogers, T. Someya, and Y. Huang: Materials and mechanics for stretchable electronics. Science 327, 1603–1607 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. A. Castellanos-Gomez, M. Barkelid, A.M. Goossens, V.E. Calado, H.S.J. van der Zant, and G.A. Steele: Laser-thinning of MoS2: On demand generation of a single-layer semiconductor. Nano Lett. 12, 3187–3192 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. R.G. Dickinson and L. Pauling: The Crystal structure of molybdenite. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 45, 1466–1471 (1923).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. C.A. Papageorgopoulos and W. Jaegermann: Li intercalation across and along the van der Waals surfaces of MoS2(0001). Surf. Sci. 338, 83–93 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. G. Eda, H. Yamaguchi, D. Voiry, T. Fujita, M. Chen, and M. Chhowalla: Photoluminescence from chemically exfoliated MoS2. Nano Lett. 11, 5111–5116 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. C. Muratore, V. Varshney, J.J. Gengler, J.J. Hu, A.K. Roy, B.L. Farmer, and A.A. Voevodin: Thermal anisotropy in nano-crystalline MoS2 thin films. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 16, 1008–1014 (2014).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. C. Muratore, V. Varshney, J.J. Gengler, J.E. Bultman, J.J. Hu, T.M. Smith, P.J. Shamberger, B. Qiu, X. Ruan, A.K. Roy, and A.A. Voevodin: Cross-plane thermal properties of transition metal dichalcogenides. Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 081604 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Financial support from Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Complex Materials and Devices program (15RXCOR184) is gratefully acknowledged. CM gratefully acknowledges support from Air Force Research Laboratory funded DAGSI program and AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate Laboratory Director’s Funds to sponsor this work. CM would also like to acknowledge Advanced Energy Industries Incorporated for use of a Pinnacle Plus pulsed power supply for thin film growth. All authors thank Art Safriet for his assistance in development and fabrication of equipment used in this work.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Andrey A. Voevodin

    Present address: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, 76203, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, 45433, USA

    Michael E. McConney, Nicholas R. Glavin, Abigail T. Juhl, Michael H. Check, Michael F. Durstock, Andrey A. Voevodin, Travis E. Shelton, John E. Bultman, Jianjun Hu, Michael L. Jespersen, Maneesh K. Gupta, Rachel D. Naguy, Jennifer G. Colborn, Phillip T. Hagerty, Randall E. Stevenson & Christopher Muratore

  2. University of Dayton Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio, 45469, USA

    Travis E. Shelton, John E. Bultman, Jianjun Hu, Michael L. Jespersen, Maneesh K. Gupta & Rachel D. Naguy

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, 45469, USA

    Jennifer G. Colborn

  4. Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16801, USA

    Aman Haque

  5. Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, 45469, USA

    Phillip T. Hagerty, Randall E. Stevenson & Christopher Muratore

Authors
  1. Michael E. McConney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nicholas R. Glavin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Abigail T. Juhl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michael H. Check
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Michael F. Durstock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Andrey A. Voevodin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Travis E. Shelton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. John E. Bultman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Jianjun Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Michael L. Jespersen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Maneesh K. Gupta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Rachel D. Naguy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Jennifer G. Colborn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Aman Haque
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Phillip T. Hagerty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. Randall E. Stevenson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  17. Christopher Muratore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher Muratore.

Additional information

This author was an editor of this journal during the review and decision stage. For the JMR policy on review and publication of manuscripts authored by editors, please refer to http://www.mrs.org/jmr-editor-manuscripts/.

A previous error in this article has been corrected, see https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2016.129.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

McConney, M.E., Glavin, N.R., Juhl, A.T. et al. Direct synthesis of ultra-thin large area transition metal dichalcogenides and their heterostructures on stretchable polymer surfaces. Journal of Materials Research 31, 967–974 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2016.36

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2016.36

Search

Navigation