Mechanical properties of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are relevant to their prospective applications in flexible electronics. So far, the focus has been on the semiconducting TMDCs, mostly MoX2 and WX2 (X=S, Se) due to their potential in optoelectronics. A comprehensive understanding of the elastic properties of metallic TMDCs is needed to complement the semiconducting TMDCs in flexible optoelectronics. Thus, mechanical testing of metallic TMDCs is pertinent to the realization of the applications. Here, we report on the atomic force microscopy-based nano-indentation measurements on ultra-thin 2H-TaS2 crystals to elucidate the stretching and breaking of the metallic TMDCs. We explored the elastic properties of 2H-TaS2 at different thicknesses ranging from 3.5 nm to 12.6 nm and find that the Young's modulus is independent of the thickness at a value of 85.9 +- 10.6 GPa, which is lower than the semiconducting TMDCs reported so far. We determined the breaking strength as 5.07 4- 0.10 GPa which is 6% of the Young's modulus. This value is comparable to that of other TMDCs. We used ab initio calculations to provide an insight to the high elasticity measured in 2H-TaS2. We also performed measurements on a small number of 1T-TaTe2, 3R-NbS2 and 1T-NbTe2 samples and extended our ab initio calculations to these materials to gain a deeper understanding on the elastic and breaking properties of metallic TMDCs. This work illustrates that the studied metallic TMDCs are suitable candidates to be used as additives in composites as functional and structural elements and for flexible conductive electronic devices.
A finite-deformation crystal-elasticity membrane model for Transition Metal Dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers is presented. Monolayer TMDs are multi-atom-thick two-dimensional (2D) crystalline membranes having atoms arranged in three parallel surfaces. In the present formulation, the deformed configuration of a TMD-membrane is represented through the deformation map of its middle surface and two stretches normal to the middle surface. Crystal-elasticity based kinematic rules are employed to express the deformed bond lengths and bond angles of TMDs in terms of the continuum strains. The continuum…
Two-dimensional (2D) lateral heterojunctions of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have become a reality in recent years. Semiconducting TMDC layers in their common H -structure have a nonzero in-plane electric polarization, which is a topological invariant. We show by means of first-principles calculations that lateral 2D heterojunctions between TMDCs with a different polarization generate one-dimensional (1D) metallic states at the junction, even in cases where the different materials are joined epitaxially. The metallicity does not depend upon structural details, and is explained from…
Stability of metallic edges and Fermi-level pinning in transition-metal dichalcogenide nanoribbons
MoS $_2$的纳米带呈现出独特的电子结构，该电子结构由金属边缘限定的半导体块体组成;这同样适用于其他过渡金属二硫属化物（TMD）（Mo-、W-、S $_{2}$、Se $_{2}$）。我们进行第一性原理计算的TMD纳米带与重建之字形金属终止的边缘，包含硫族吸附原子。当硫族元素的化学势接近固体的能量时，所有的纳米棒都具有正的边能，而当化学势高时，所有的纳米棒都具有负的边能。用两个硫族元素吸附原子的重建预计是最稳定的一个。在所有纳米带中，在其边缘附近发现金属相，该金属相的费米能级低于2D材料的费米能级。
A metallic CrS$_2$ phase bridging the gap between two- and three-dimensional dichalcogenides
CNRS（法国国家科学研究中心）；MNHN（法国国家自然历史博物馆）；UNICAEN（卡昂大学）；ENSICAEN（高等师范学院卡昂分校）；Laboratoire CRISMAT UMR CNRS 6508（CRISMAT实验室 (UMR CNRS 6508)）；Laboratoire de Physique des Solides（固体物理实验室）
We report a first-principle theoretical study of a monolayer-thick lateral heterostructure (LH) joining two different transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC): NbS2 and WSe2. The NbS2//WSe2 LH can be considered a prototypical example of a conducting(NbS2)/semiconducting(WSe2) two-dimensional (2D) hybrid heterojunction. We first generate and validate realistic atomistic models of the NbS2//WSe2 LH, derive their band structure and subject it to a fragment decomposition and electrostatic potential analysis to extract a simple but quantitative model of this interfacial system. Stoichiometric fluctu…
We present a high-pressure investigation of the semiconductor-to-metal transition in MoS2 and WS2 carried out by synchrotron-based far-infrared spectroscopy, to reconcile the controversial estimates of the metallization pressure found in the literature and gain new insight into the mechanisms ruling this electronic transition. Two spectral descriptors are found indicative of the onset of metallicity and of the origin of the free carriers in the metallic state: the absorbance spectral weight, whose abrupt increase defines the metallization pressure threshold, and the asymmetric lineshape of the…
Three-photon photoemission on metallic transition metal dichalcogenide NiTe$_{2}$
Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica（原子分子科学研究所，中央研究院）；Molecular Science and Technology Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica（分子科学与技术项目，台湾国际研究生计划，中央研究院）；Department of Physics, National Taiwan University（物理学系，台湾大学）；Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-sen University（物理学系，国立中山大学）；Department of Physics, National Central University（物理学系，国立中央大学）；Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali（物理学系，印度科学教育与研究学院（IISER）莫哈利分校）；Academy of Innovative Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing, National Cheng Kung University（创新半导体与可持续制造学院，国立成功大学）；Taiwan Consortium of Emergent Crystalline Materials (TCECM), National Science and Technology Council（新兴晶体材料台湾联盟（TCECM），国家科学及技术委员会）
Materials exhibiting multiple stable phases can be used as functional components in electronic and optical applications if the phase transition is controllable. Group-VI transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs, MX$_2$, where M=Mo, W and X = S, Se) are known to undergo charge induced transitions from semi-conducting H phases to metallic T phases. This occurs, for example, when bulk TMDs are exfoliated with the aid of alkali ion intercalants. However, it is difficult to experimentally decouple the effect of composition-dependent phase transition barriers from indirect effects related to the exfol…
Shrinking the size of a bulk metal into nanoscale leads to the discreteness of electronic energy levels, the so-called Kubo gap. Renormalization of the electronic properties with a tunable and size-dependent Kubo gap renders fascinating photon emission and electron tunneling. In contrast with usual three-dimensional (3D) metal clusters, here we demonstrate that Kubo gap can be achieved with a two-dimensional (2D) metallic transition metal dichalcogenide (i.e., 1T'-phase MoTe2) nanocluster embedded in a semiconducting polymorph (i.e., 1H-phase MoTe2). Such a 1T'-1H MoTe2 nanodomain resembles a …
Light induced current in two-dimensional (2D) layered materials emerges from mechanisms such as photothermoelectric effect, photovoltaic effect or nonlocal hot carrier transport. Semiconducting layered transition metal dichalcogenides have been studied extensively in recent years as the generation of current by light is a crucial process in optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices. However, photocurrent generation is unexpected in metallic 2D layered materials unless a photothermal mechanism is prevalent. Typically, high thermal conductivity and low absorption of the visible spectrum prevent ph…
One-dimensional grain boundaries of two-dimensional semiconducting {\MX} (M= Mo,W; X=S,Se) transition metal di-chalcogenides are typically metallic at room temperature. The metallicity has its origin in the lattice polarization, which for these lattices with $D_{3h}$ symmetry is a topological invariant, and leads to one-dimenional boundary states inside the band gap. For boundaries perpendicular to the polarization direction, these states are necessarily 1/3 occupied by electrons or holes, making them susceptible to a metal-insulator transition that triples the translation period. Using densit…
Exploring novel two-dimensional multiferroic materials that can realize electric-field control of two-dimensional magnetism has become an emerging topic in spintronics. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that non-metallic bilayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) can be an ideal platform for building multiferroics by intercalated magnetic atoms. Moreover, we unveil that with Co intercalated bilayer MoS2, Co(MoS2)2, two energetic degenerate states with opposite chirality of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) are the ground states, indicating electric-field control of…
Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) in the $1T$ polymorph are subject to a rich variety of periodic lattice distortions, often referred to as charge density waves (CDW) when not too strong. We study from first principles the fermiology and phonon dispersion of three representative single-layer transition metal disulfides with different occupation of the $t_{2g}$ subshell: TaS$_2$ ($t_{2g}^1$), WS$_2$ ($t_{2g}^2$), and ReS$_2$ ($t_{2g}^3$) across a broad range of doping levels. While strong electron-phonon interactions are at the heart of these instabilities, we argue that away from half-fi…
The quasiparticle spectra of atomically thin semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and their response to an ultrafast optical excitation critically depend on interactions with the underlying substrate. Here, we present a comparative time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TR-ARPES) study of the transient electronic structure and ultrafast carrier dynamics in the single- and bilayer TMDCs MoS$_2$ and WS$_2$ on three different substrates: Au(111), Ag(111) and graphene/SiC. The photoexcited quasiparticle bandgaps are observed to vary over the range of 1.9-2.3 eV bet…
The phase transitions among polymorphic two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted increasing attention for their potential in enabling distinct functionalities in the same material for making integrated devices. Electron-injection to TMDs has been proved to be a feasible way to drive structural phase transition from the semiconducting H-phase to the semimetal dT-phase. In this contribution, based on density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, firstly we demonstrate that hole-injection drives the transition of the H-phase more efficiently to the metallic T-ph…
We perform first-principles calculations to determine the electronic, magnetic and transport properties of rare-earth dichalcogenides taking a monolayer of the H-phase EuS$_2$ as a representative. We predict that the H-phase of the EuS$_2$ monolayer exhibits a half-metallic behavior upon doping with a very high magnetic moment. We find that the electronic structure of EuS$_2$ is very sensitive to the value of Coulomb repulsion $U$, which effectively controls the degree of hybridization between Eu-$f$ and S-$p$ states. We further predict that the non-trivial electronic structure of EuS$_2$ dire…
Application of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) in photonic, optoelectronic or valleytronic devices requires the growth of continuous monolayers, heterostructures and alloys of different materials in a single process. We present a facile pulsed thermal deposition method which provides precise control over layer thickness and stoichiometry of two-dimensional systems. The versatility of the method is demonstrated on ternary monolayers of Mo$_{1-x}$W$_{x}$S$_{2}$ and on heterostructures combining metallic TaS$_{2}$ and semiconducting MoS$_{2}$ layers. The fabricated ternary monolayers cove…
Trends in structural, electronic properties, Fermi surface topology, and inter-atomic bonding in the series of ternary layered dichalcogenides KNi2S2, KNi2Se2, and KNi2Te2 from first principles calculations
利用FLAPW-GGA方法，我们系统地研究了四硫属二硫化物KNi_2CH_2（CH = S，Se，Te）的结构和电子性质.结果表明，硫族元素（S -> Se -> Te）的置换导致晶体结构的各向异性变形，这与[Ni_2Ch_2]块内原子间键的强各向异性有关，在[Ni_2Ch_2]块内形成共价-离子-金属混合键，而在相邻的[Ni_2Ch_2]块和K原子片之间形成离子键.我们发现在KNi_2S_2-> KNi_2Se_2-> KNi_2 Te_2的顺序中（i）整个能带结构（其中近费米价带主要由Ni态产生）的能级保持不变，但公共价带的宽度、分立子带和带隙的宽度减小;（iii）对于费米面，当类二维片形成项链状拓扑结构且封闭口袋的体积减小时，类孔片表现出最明显的变化.讨论了ThCr_2Si_2型层状二硫属化合物KNi_2Ch_2、KFe_2Ch_2、KCo_2Se_2的结构和电子参数的变化趋势。
Defect-induced states, defect-induced phase transition and excitonic states in bent transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanoribbons: density functional vs. many body theory
Two-dimensional (2D) tungsten disulfide (WS$_2$), tungsten diselenide (WSe$_2$), and tungsten ditelluride (WTe$_2$) draw increasing attention due to their attractive properties deriving from the heavy tungsten and chalcogenide atoms, but their mechanical properties are still mostly unknown. Here, we determine the intrinsic and air-aged mechanical properties of mono-, bi-, and trilayer (1-3L) WS$_2$, WSe$_2$ and WTe$_2$ using a complementary suite of experiments and theoretical calculations. High-quality 1L WS$_2$ has the highest Young's modulus (302.4+-24.1 GPa) and strength (47.0+-8.6 GPa) of…
Understanding the mechanisms involved in chemical vapour deposition (CVD) synthesis of atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) requires the precise control of numerous growth parameters. All the proposed mechanisms and their relation to the growth conditions are inferred from characterising intermediate formations obtained by stopping the growth blindly. To fully understand the reaction routes that lead to the monolayer formation, real time observation and control of the growth are needed. Here, we demonstrate how a custom-made CVD chamber that allows real time optical monitor…
Computational methods are fast becoming an integral part of nanoelectronics design process. With increasing computational power, electron transport simulation methods such as Non-equilibrium Greens function (NEGF) methods now hold promise in study and design of new electronic devices. Single molecule circuits as optimized device size covers a significant electron transmission, which originated of intrinsic molecular properties. In this study, we study and design a single molecule switch based on a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) electrode (molybdenum disulphide (MoS2)) and a photochromic…
Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) attract significant attention due to their exceptional optical and excitonic properties. It was understood already in the 1960s, and recently rediscovered, that many TMDs possess high refractive index and optical anisotropy, which make them attractive for nanophotonic applications. However, accurate analysis and predictions of nanooptical phenomena require knowledge of dielectric constants along both in- and out-of-plane directions and over a broad spectral range -- information, which is often inaccessible or incomplete. Here, we present an experimental …
We study the electromechanical response of Janus transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanotubes from first principles. In particular, considering both armchair and zigzag variants of twenty-seven select Janus TMD nanotubes, we determine the change in bandgap and charge carriers' effective mass upon axial and torsional deformations using density functional theory (DFT). We observe that metallic nanotubes remain unaffected, whereas the bandgap in semiconducting nanotubes decreases linearly and quadratically with axial and shear strains, respectively, leading to semiconductor--metal transitions.…
Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) belong to technologically important compounds. We have explored the structural, elastic, bonding, optoelectronic and some thermo-physical properties of ZrX2 (X = S, Se, Te) TMDCs in details via ab-initio technique in this study. Elastic anisotropy indices, atomic bonding character, optoelectronic properties and thermo-physical parameters including melting temperature and minimum phonon thermal conductivity are investigated for the first time. All the TMDCs under investigation possess significant elastic anisotropy and layered structural features. ZrX2 (…
Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with unique electrical properties are fascinating materials used for future electronics. However, the strong Fermi level pinning effect at the interface of TMDCs and metal electrodes always leads to high contact resistance, which seriously hinders their application in 2D electronics. One effective way to overcome this is to use metallic TMDCs or transferred metal electrodes as van der Waals (vdW) contacts. Alternatively, using highly conductive doped TMDCs will have a profound impact on the contact engineering of 2D electronics. Her…
We perform density functional theory calculation to investigate the structural and electronic properties of various two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, MX$_2$ (M$=$Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, or W, and X$=$S or Se), and their strain-induced phase transitions. We evaluate the relative stability and the activation barrier between the octahedral-$T$ and the trigonal-$H$ phases of each MX$_2$. It is found that the equilibrium and phase transition characteristics of MX$_2$ can be classified by the group to which its metal element M belongs in the periodic table. MX$_2$ with M in th…
We study the effect of torsional deformations on the electronic properties of single-walled transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanotubes. In particular, considering forty-five select armchair and zigzag TMD nanotubes, we perform symmetry-adapted Kohn-Sham density functional theory calculations to determine the variation in bandgap and effective mass of charge carriers with twist. We find that metallic nanotubes remain so even after deformation, whereas semiconducting nanotubes experience a decrease in bandgap with twist -- originally direct bandgaps become indirect -- resulting in semicondu…
We present an ab initio approach for the calculation of phonon self-energies and their fluctuation diagnostics, which allows us to identify the electronic processes behind phonon anomalies. Application to the transition-metal-dichalcogenide monolayer 1H-TaS$_2$ reveals that coupling between the longitudinal-acoustic phonons and the electrons from an isolated low-energy metallic band is entirely responsible for phonon anomalies such as the mode softening and associated charge-density waves observed in this material. Our analysis allows us to distinguish between different mode-softening mechanis…
The electronic and optical properties of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) in distinctive phases, such as 1H, 1T, and 1T' phases, are of fundamental importance for variety of applications. The 1H phase has been understood as a direct bandgap semiconductor. On the other hand, the electronic properties of the 1T and 1T' phases remain controversy in the theoretical and experimental perspectives. In this study, we explore the optical properties of monolayer WS2 in 1H, 1T, and 1T' phases using Raman and photoluminescence, corroborated with the atomic structure identified by scanning transmis…
Tunability of polar and semiconducting properties of low-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have propelled them to the forefront of fundamental and applied physical research. These materials can vary from non-polar to ferroelectric, and from direct-band semiconductor to metallic. However, in addition to classical controls such as composition, doping, and field effect in TMDs the additional degrees of freedom emerge due to the curvature-induced electron redistribution and associated changes in electronic properties. Here we numerically explore the elastic and electric fields, f…
Atomically thin layers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) exhibit exceptionally strong Coulomb interaction between charge carriers due to the two-dimensional carrier confinement in connection with weak dielectric screening. The van der Waals nature of interlayer coupling makes it easy to integrate TMDC layers into heterostructures with different dielectric or metallic substrates. This allows to tailor electronic and optical properties of these materials, as Coulomb interaction inside atomically thin layers is very susceptible to screening by the environment. Here we theoretically inve…
The charge, spin, and composition degrees of freedom in high-entropy alloy endow it with tunable valence and spin states, infinite combinations and excellent mechanical performance. Meanwhile, the stacking, interlayer, and angle degrees of freedom in van der Waals material bring it with exceptional features and technological applications. Integration of these two distinct material categories while keeping their merits would be tempting. Based on this heuristic thinking, we design and explore a new range of materials (i.e., dichalcogenides, halides and phosphorus trisulfides) with multiple meta…
Growth, stabilization and conversion of semi-metallic and semiconducting phases of MoTe2 monolayer by molecular-beam epitaxy
单层（ML）过渡金属二硫属化物以不同的相存在，例如六方（2 H）和畸变八面体或单斜（1 T '）相。不同的结构表现出截然不同的性质。例如，2 H MoTe 2 ML是直接带隙半导体，而1 T 'MoTe 2是半金属。有人提出，2 H和1 T 'MoTe 2之间的形成能相差很小，因此很有可能调整MoTe 2的结构，从而带来新的应用，如相变电子学。在这项工作中，我们报告的生长2 H和1 T 'MoTe 2 ML的分子束外延（MBE）。通过改变分子束外延的生长条件和退火，我们证明了外延MoTe 2结构域的可调谐性。我们目前的实验和理论证据表明，在分子束外延过程中，Te表面吸附在促进和稳定，否则亚稳1 T '-MoTe 2的重要作用。
In this work, we propose novel two-dimensional (2D) Janus Ni dichalcogenide materials and explore their feasibility, stability and evaluate their electronic and optical properties with ab-initio calculations. Three unique Janus materials, namely NiSSe, NiSTe and NiSeTe, based on the 2H hexagonal polytype of NiS2, NiSe2 and NiTe2 were proposed. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, show that among the three proposed NiXY Janus 2D materials, NiSSe had the best energetic and dynamical stability. GGA PBE calculations showed NiSSe to have a semi-metallic bandstructure with the Ni-Se interac…
Multiphysics analysis of acoustically actuated nanospherical antennas embedded in polymer/metal medium with magneto-electro-elastic surface/interface effects
Ternary compounds of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides are emerging as an interesting class of crystals with tunable electronic properties, which make them attractive for nano-electronic and optoelectronic applications. Among them, Mo$_x$W$_{1-x}$S$_2$ is one of the most studied alloys, due to the well-known, remarkable features of its binary constituents, MoS$_2$ and WS$_2$. The band-gap of this compound can be modelled varying Mo and W percentages in the sample, and its vibrational modes result from a combination of MoS$_2$ and WS$_2$ phonons. In this work, we report transmission measurements…
Orbital Hall effect (OHE) is the phenomenon of transverse flow of orbital moment in presence of an applied electric field. Solids with broken inversion symmetry are expected to exhibit a strong OHE due to the presence of an intrinsic orbital moment at individual momentum points in the Brillouin zone, which in presence of an applied electric field, flows in different directions causing a net orbital Hall current. Here we provide a comprehensive understanding of the effect and its tunability in the monolayer 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). Both metallic and insulating TMDCs are inve…
Understanding structure at the interface between two-dimensional (2D) materials and 3D metals is crucial for designing novel 2D/3D heterostructures and improving the performance of many 2D material devices. Here, we quantify and discuss the 2D/3D interface structure and the 3D morphology in several materials systems. We first deposit facetted Au nanoislands on graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, using measurements of the equilibrium island shape to determine values for the 2D/Au interface energies and examining the role of surface reconstructions, chemical identity, and defects on t…
