Influence of the electrochemical deposition parameters on the microstructure of MoS 2 thin films

Abstract Thin films molybdenum dichalcogenide, MoS 2 , were prepared by cathodic electrochemical deposition from aqueous and non-aqueous solutions of tetrathiomolybdate ions, at different temperatures. The films were X-ray amorphous as deposited. They consist of an amorphous matrix in which quantum sized nanocrystallites or clusters were embedded. Upon annealing at high temperatures, the films obtained from aqueous solutions become crystalline and highly texturized having their van der Waals planes oriented parallel to the substrate, whereas, those obtained from ethylene glycol solutions kept on the amorphous matrix, with slightly larger sizes MoS 2 nanoparticles embedded, than before annealing. Difference in the mechanism of the electrodeposition in aqueous and ethylene glycol solutions is discussed.