Non-invasive digital etching of van der Waals semiconductors

Abstract

The capability to finely tailor material thickness with simultaneous atomic precision and non-invasivity would be useful for constructing quantum platforms and post-Moore microelectronics. However, it remains challenging to attain synchronized controls over tailoring selectivity and precision. Here we report a protocol that allows for non-invasive and atomically digital etching of van der Waals transition-metal dichalcogenides through selective alloying via low-temperature thermal diffusion and subsequent wet etching. The mechanism of selective alloying between sacrifice metal atoms and defective or pristine dichalcogenides is analyzed with high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. Also, the non-invasive nature and atomic level precision of our etching technique are corroborated by consistent spectral, crystallographic and electrical characterization measurements. The low-temperature charge mobility of as-etched MoS${}_2$ reaches up to $1200$cm${}^2\cdot$V${}^{-1}\cdot$s${}^{-1}$, comparable to that of exfoliated pristine counterparts. The entire protocol represents a highly precise and non-invasive tailoring route for material manipulation.

arXiv comment46 pages, 4 figures, with SI

References in corpus (15)

• Atomically thin MoS2: A new direct-gap semiconductor
• Layer-dependent Ferromagnetism in a van der Waals Crystal down to the Monolayer Limit
• Discovery of intrinsic ferromagnetism in 2D van der Waals crystals
• Correlated Insulator Behaviour at Half-Filling in Magic Angle Graphene Superlattices
• First-principles study of the phonon-limited mobility in n-type single-layer MoS2
• Strong Photoluminescence Enhancement of MoS2 through Defect Engineering and Oxygen Bonding
• The Nature of Electronic States in Atomically Thin MoS2 Field-Effect Transistors
• Towards Intrinsic Charge Transport in Monolayer Molybdenum Disulfide by Defect and Interface Engineering
• Observation of the Dirac fluid and the breakdown of the Wiedemann-Franz law in graphene
• Laser-thinning of MoS2: on demand generation of a single-layer semiconductor
• Evidence of Gate-Tunable Mott Insulator in Trilayer Graphene-Boron Nitride Moiré Superlattice
• Charge transport and mobility engineering in two-dimensional transition metal chalcogenide semiconductors
• Towards barrier free contact to MoS2 using graphene electrodes
• Band-Like Transport in High Mobility Unencapsulated Single-Layer MoS2 Transistors
• Quantitative Raman Spectrum and Reliable Thickness Identification for Atomic Layers on Insulating Substrates

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Probing spin dynamics of ultra-thin van der Waals magnets via photon-magnon coupling
• Noninvasive Photodelamination of van der Waals Semiconductors for High-Performance Electronics
• Engineering strong coupling in ultra-compact photonic crystal/2D material platforms