Duan Research Group

Hetero-integrated Nanostructures and Nanodevices

Publications

Synthesis of WS2 x Se2–2 x Alloy Nanosheets with Composition-Tunable Electronic Properties

Xidong Duan, Chen Wang, Zheng Fan, Guolin Hao, Liangzhi Kou, Udayabagya Halim, Honglai Li, Xueping Wu, Yicheng Wang, Jianhui Jiang, Anlian Pan, Yu Huang, Ruqin Yu, Xiangfeng Duan

Nano Lett. 16, 264-269 (2015)

Two-dimensional (2D) layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have recently emerged as a new class of atomically thin semiconductors for diverse electronic, optoelectronic, and valleytronic applications. To explore the full potential of these 2D semiconductors requires a precise control of their band gap and electronic properties, which represents a significant challenge in 2D material systems. Here we demonstrate a systematic control of the electronic properties of 2D-TMDs by creating mixed alloys of the intrinsically p-type WSe2 and intrinsically n-type WS2 with variable alloy compositions. We show that a series of WS2xSe2-2x alloy nanosheets can be synthesized with fully tunable chemical compositions and optical properties. Electrical transport studies using back-gated field effect transistors demonstrate that charge carrier types and threshold voltages of the alloy nanosheet transistors can be systematically tuned by adjusting the alloy composition. A highly p-type behavior is observed in selenium-rich alloy, which gradually shifts to lightly p-type, and then switches to lightly n-type characteristics with the increasing sulfur atomic ratio, and eventually evolves into highly n-doped semiconductors in sulfur-rich alloys. The synthesis of WS2xSe2-2x nanosheets with tunable optical and electronic properties represents a critical step toward rational design of 2D electronics with tailored spectral responses and device characteristics.
UCLA, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
607 Charles E. Young Drive East, Box 951569
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1569
E-mail: xduan@chem.ucla.edu