Covalently interconnected transition metal dichalcogenide networks via defect engineering for high-performance electronic devices
Source abstract
Abstract
Solution-processed semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides are at the centre of an ever-increasing research effort in printed (opto)electronics. However, device performance is limited by structural defects resulting from the exfoliation process and poor inter-flake electronic connectivity. Here, we report a new molecular strategy to boost the electrical performance of transition metal dichalcogenide-based devices via the use of dithiolated conjugated molecules, to simultaneously heal sulfur vacancies in solution-processed transition metal disulfides and covalently bridge adjacent flakes, thereby promoting percolation pathways for the charge transport. We achieve a reproducible increase by one order of magnitude in field-effect mobility (µFE), current ratio (ION/IOFF) and switching time (τS) for liquid-gated transistors, reaching 10-2 cm2 V-1 s-1, 104 and 18 ms, respectively. Our functionalization strategy is a universal route to simultaneously enhance the electronic connectivity in transition metal disulfide networks and tailor on demand their physicochemical properties according to the envisioned applications.
Source: europepmc · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: 2D Materials and Applications · Perovskite Materials and Applications · MXene and MAX Phase Materials
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (49)
Show source-provided references
1. Wang, Q. H., Kalantar-Zadeh, K., Kis, A., Coleman, J. N. & Strano, M. S. Elec0tronics and optoelectronics of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. Nat. Nanotechnol. 7, 699–712 (2012).10.1038/nnano.2012.193 ↗
2. Voiry, D., Yang, J. & Chhowalla, M. Recent strategies for improving the catalytic activity of 2D TMD nanosheets toward the hydrogen evolution reaction. Adv. Mater. 28, 6197–6206 (2016).10.1002/adma.201505597 ↗
3. Chen, Y., Tan, C., Zhang, H. & Wang, L. Two-dimensional graphene analogues for biomedical applications. Chem. Soc. Rev. 44, 2681–2701 (2015).10.1039/C4CS00300D ↗
4. Ferrari, A. C. et al. Science and technology roadmap for graphene, related two-dimensional crystals, and hybrid systems. Nanoscale 7, 4598–4810 (2015).10.1039/C4NR01600A ↗
5. Manzeli, S., Ovchinnikov, D., Pasquier, D., Yazyev, O. V. & Kis, A. 2D transition metal dichalcogenides. Nat. Rev. Mater. 2, 17033 (2017).10.1038/natrevmats.2017.33 ↗
6. Han, J. H., Kwak, M., Kim, Y. & Cheon, J. Recent advances in the solution-based preparation of two-dimensional layered transition metal chalcogenide nanostructures. Chem. Rev. 118, 6151–6188 (2018).10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00264 ↗
7. Backes, C. et al. Production and processing of graphene and related materials. 2D Mater. 7, 022001 (2020).10.1088/2053-1583/ab1e0a ↗
8. O’Neill, A., Khan, U. & Coleman, J. N. Preparation of high concentration dispersions of exfoliated MoS2 with increased flake size. Chem. Mater. 24, 2414–2421 (2012).10.1021/cm301515z ↗
9. Yao, Y. et al. High-concentration aqueous dispersions of MoS2. Adv. Funct. Mater. 23, 3577–3583 (2013).10.1002/adfm.201201843 ↗
10. Bonaccorso, F., Bartolotta, A., Coleman, J. N. & Backes, C. 2D-crystal-based functional inks. Adv. Mater. 28, 6136–6166 (2016).10.1002/adma.201506410 ↗
11. Bonaccorso, F. et al. Production and processing of graphene and 2d crystals. Mater. Today 15, 564–589 (2012).10.1016/S1369-7021(13)70014-2 ↗
12. Raccichini, R., Varzi, A., Passerini, S. & Scrosati, B. The role of graphene for electrochemical energy storage. Nat. Mater. 14, 271–279 (2015).10.1038/nmat4170 ↗
13. Jariwala, D., Sangwan, V. K., Lauhon, L. J., Marks, T. J. & Hersam, M. C. Emerging device applications for semiconducting two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. ACS Nano 8, 1102–1120 (2014).10.1021/nn500064s ↗
14. Ciesielski, A. & Samorì, P. Graphene via sonication assisted liquid-phase exfoliation. Chem. Soc. Rev. 43, 381–398 (2014).10.1039/C3CS60217F ↗
15. Backes, C. et al. Equipartition of energy defines the size–thickness relationship in liquid-exfoliated nanosheets. ACS Nano 13, 7050–7061 (2019).10.1021/acsnano.9b02234 ↗
16. Tsai, C. et al. Electrochemical generation of sulfur vacancies in the basal plane of MoS2 for hydrogen evolution. Nat. Commun. 8, 15113 (2017).10.1038/ncomms15113 ↗
17. Komsa, H.-P. et al. Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides under electron irradiation: defect production and doping. Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 035503 (2012).10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.035503 ↗
18. McDonnell, S., Addou, R., Buie, C., Wallace, R. M. & Hinkle, C. L. Defect-dominated doping and contact resistance in MoS2. ACS Nano 8, 2880–2888 (2014).10.1021/nn500044q ↗
19. Nicolosi, V., Chhowalla, M., Kanatzidis, M. G., Strano, M. S. & Coleman, J. N. Liquid exfoliation of layered materials. Science 340, 1226419 (2013).10.1126/science.1226419 ↗
20. Voiry, D. et al. Covalent functionalization of monolayered transition metal dichalcogenides by phase engineering. Nat. Chem. 7, 45–49 (2015).10.1038/nchem.2108 ↗
21. Ippolito, S., Ciesielski, A. & Samorì, P. Tailoring the physicochemical properties of solution-processed transition metal dichalcogenides via molecular approaches. Chem. Commun. 55, 8900–8914 (2019).10.1039/C9CC03845K ↗
22. Bertolazzi, S., Gobbi, M., Zhao, Y., Backes, C. & Samorì, P. Molecular chemistry approaches for tuning the properties of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. Chem. Soc. Rev. 47, 6845–6888 (2018).10.1039/C8CS00169C ↗
23. Schmidt, H., Giustiniano, F. & Eda, G. Electronic transport properties of transition metal dichalcogenide field-effect devices: surface and interface effects. Chem. Soc. Rev. 44, 7715–7736 (2015).10.1039/C5CS00275C ↗
24. Sim, D. M. et al. Controlled doping of vacancy-containing few-layer MoS2 via highly stable thiol-based molecular chemisorption. ACS Nano 9, 12115–12123 (2015).10.1021/acsnano.5b05173 ↗
25. Yu, X., Prévot, M. S. & Sivula, K. Multiflake thin film electronic devices of solution processed 2D MoS2 enabled by sonopolymer assisted exfoliation and surface modification. Chem. Mater. 26, 5892–5899 (2014).10.1021/cm502378g ↗
26. Zeng, X., Hirwa, H., Metel, S., Nicolosi, V. & Wagner, V. Solution processed thin film transistor from liquid phase exfoliated MoS2 flakes. Solid State Electron. 141, 58–64 (2018).10.1016/j.sse.2017.12.005 ↗
27. Noriega, R. et al. A general relationship between disorder, aggregation and charge transport in conjugated polymers. Nat. Mater. 12, 1038–1044 (2013).10.1038/nmat3722 ↗
28. Kelly, A. G. et al. All-printed thin-film transistors from networks of liquid-exfoliated nanosheets. Science 356, 69–73 (2017).10.1126/science.aal4062 ↗
29. Schilter, D. Thiol oxidation: a slippery slope. Nat. Rev. Chem. 1, 0013 (2017).10.1038/s41570-016-0013 ↗
30. Donarelli, M., Bisti, F., Perrozzi, F. & Ottaviano, L. Tunable sulfur desorption in exfoliated MoS2 by means of thermal annealing in ultra-high vacuum. Chem. Phys. Lett. 588, 198–202 (2013).10.1016/j.cplett.2013.10.034 ↗
31. McIntyre, N. S., Spevack, P. A., Beamson, G. & Briggs, D. Effects of argon ion bombardment on basal plane and polycrystalline MoS2. Surf. Sci. 237, L390–L397 (1990).10.1016/0039-6028(90)90508-6 ↗
32. Mignuzzi, S. et al. Effect of disorder on Raman scattering of single-layer MoS2. Phys. Rev. B 91, 195411 (2015).10.1103/PhysRevB.91.195411 ↗
33. Bae, S. et al. Defect-induced vibration modes of Ar+-irradiated MoS2. Phys. Rev. Appl. 7, 024001 (2017).10.1103/PhysRevApplied.7.024001 ↗
34. Park, S. Y. et al. Highly selective and sensitive chemoresistive humidity sensors based on rGO/MoS2 van der Waals composites. J. Mater. Chem. A 6, 5016–5024 (2018).10.1039/C7TA11375G ↗
35. Chow, P. K. et al. Wetting of mono and few-layered WS2 and MoS2 films supported on Si/SiO2 substrates. ACS Nano 9, 3023–3031 (2015).10.1021/nn5072073 ↗
36. Nguyen, E. P. et al. Electronic tuning of 2D MoS2 through surface functionalization. Adv. Mater. 27, 6225–6229 (2015).10.1002/adma.201503163 ↗
37. Chou, S. S. et al. Ligand conjugation of chemically exfoliated MoS2. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 135, 4584–4587 (2013).10.1021/ja310929s ↗
38. Kim, J. et al. Direct exfoliation and dispersion of two-dimensional materials in pure water via temperature control. Nat. Commun. 6, 8294 (2015).10.1038/ncomms9294 ↗
39. Graetzel, M., Janssen, R. A. J., Mitzi, D. B. & Sargent, E. H. Materials interface engineering for solution-processed photovoltaics. Nature 488, 304–312 (2012).10.1038/nature11476 ↗
40. Li, J., Naiini, M. M., Vaziri, S., Lemme, M. C. & Östling, M. Inkjet printing of MoS2. Adv. Funct. Mater. 24, 6524–6531 (2014).10.1002/adfm.201400984 ↗
41. Li, S.-L., Tsukagoshi, K., Orgiu, E. & Samorì, P. Charge transport and mobility engineering in two-dimensional transition metal chalcogenide semiconductors. Chem. Soc. Rev. 45, 118–151 (2015).10.1039/C5CS00517E ↗
42. Wang, Y., Gali, S. M., Slassi, A., Beljonne, D. & Samorì, P. Collective dipole-dominated doping of monolayer MoS2: orientation and magnitude control via the supramolecular approach. Adv. Funct. Mater. 30, 2002846 (2020).10.1002/adfm.202002846 ↗
43. Chiu, F.-C. A review on conduction mechanisms in dielectric films. Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2014, 578168 (2014).10.1155/2014/578168 ↗
44. Lee, K. et al. Electrical characteristics of molybdenum disulfide flakes produced by liquid exfoliation. Adv. Mater. 23, 4178–4182 (2011).10.1002/adma.201101013 ↗
45. Sze, S. M. & Ng, K. K. Physics of Semiconductor Devices (John Wiley & Sons, 2006).10.1002/0470068329 ↗
46. Vladimirov, I. et al. Bulk transport and contact limitation of MoS2 multilayer flake transistors untangled via temperature-dependent transport measurements. Physica Status Solidi A 212, 2059–2067 (2015).10.1002/pssa.201532157 ↗
47. Higgins, T. M. et al. Electrolyte-gated n-type transistors produced from aqueous inks of WS2 nanosheets. Adv. Funct. Mater. 29, 1804387 (2019).10.1002/adfm.201804387 ↗
48. Anichini, C. et al. Chemical sensing with 2D materials. Chem. Soc. Rev. 47, 4860–4908 (2018).10.1039/C8CS00417J ↗
49. Akinwande, D., Petrone, N. & Hone, J. Two-dimensional flexible nanoelectronics. Nat. Commun. 5, 5678 (2014).10.1038/ncomms6678 ↗