Controlled Synthesis of Highly Crystalline MoS2 Flakes by Chemical Vapor Deposition

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society 2013-04, Vol.135 (14), p.5304-5307
• Main Authors: Wang, Xinsheng, Feng, Hongbin, Wu, Yongmin, Jiao, Liying
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0002-7863; 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/ja4013485

The controlled synthesis of highly crystalline MoS2 atomic layers remains a challenge for the practical applications of this emerging material. Here, we developed an approach for synthesizing MoS2 flakes in rhomboid shape with controlled number of layers by the layer-by-layer sulfurization of MoO2 microcrystals. The obtained MoS2 flakes showed high crystallinity with crystal domain size of ∼10 μm, significantly larger than the grain size of MoS2 grown by other methods. As a result of the high crystallinity, the performance of back-gated field effect transistors (FETs) made on these MoS2 flakes was comparable to that of FETs based on mechanically exfoliated flakes. This simple approach opens up a new avenue for controlled synthesis of MoS2 atomic layers and will make this highly crystalline material easily accessible for fundamental aspects and various applications.