Reducing contact resistance of MoS2-based field effect transistors through uniform interlayer insertion via atomic layer deposition.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a semiconducting two-dimensional layered transition metal dichalcogenide (2D TMDC), with attractive properties enables the opening of a new electronics era beyond Si. However, the notoriously high contact resistance (RC) regardless of the electrode metal has been a major challenge in the practical applications of MoS2-based electronics. Moreover, it is difficult to lower RC because the conventional doping technique is unsuitable for MoS2 due to its ultrathin nature. Therefore, the metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) architecture has been proposed as a method to fabricate a reliable and stable contact with low RC. Herein, we introduce a strategy to fabricate MIS contact based on atomic layer deposition (ALD) to dramatically reduce the RC of single-layer MoS2 field effect transistors (FETs). We utilize ALD Al2O3 as an interlayer for the MIS contact of bottom-gated MoS2 FETs. Based on the Langmuir isotherm, the uniformity of ALD Al2O3 films on MoS2 can be increased by modulating the precursor injection pressures even at low temperatures of 150 °C. We discovered, for the first time, that film uniformity critically affects RC without altering the film thickness. Additionally, we can add functionality to the uniform interlayer by adopting isopropyl alcohol (IPA) as an oxidant. Tunneling resistance across the MIS contact is lowered by n-type doping of MoS2 induced by IPA as the oxidant in the ALD process. Through a highly uniform interlayer combined with strong doping, the contact resistance is improved by more than two orders of magnitude compared to that of other MoS2 FETs fabricated in this study.

Valid design and evaluation of cathode and anode materials of aqueous zinc ion batteries with high-rate capability and cycle stability.

Although non-aqueous lithium-ion batteries have a high gravimetric density, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have recently been in the spotlight as an alternative, because ZIBs have characteristics such as high volumetric density, high ionic conductivity, eco-friendliness, low cost, and high safety. However, the improvement in electrochemical performance is limited due to insufficient rate capability and severe cycle fading of the vanadium-oxide-based cathode and zinc-metal-based anode material, which are frequently used as active materials for ZIBs. In addition, complex methods are required to prepare high-performance cathode and anode materials. Therefore, a simple yet effective strategy is needed to obtain high-performance anodes and cathodes. Herein, an ammonium vanadate nanofiber (AVNF) intercalated with NH4+ and H2O as a cathode material for ZIBs was synthesized within 30 minutes through a facile sonochemical method. In addition, an effective Al2O3 layer of 9.9 nm was coated on the surface of zinc foil through an atomic layer deposition technique. As a result, AVNF//60Al2O3@Zn batteries showed a high rate capability of 108 mA h g-1 even at 20 A g-1, and exhibited ultra-high cycle stability with a capacity retention of 94% even after 5000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g-1.

Synthesis and Application of AgBiS2 and Ag2S Nanoinks for the Production of IR Photodetectors.

Nanoinks composed of quantum dots (QDs) are applied in light-receiving devices and light-emitting devices such as solar cells and displays. However, since the most widely used QDs, PbS and CdS, are toxic and environmentally concerning, alternative materials need to be developed. We synthesized and analyzed Ag chalcogenide nanoparticles, including AgBiS2 and Ag2S nanoparticles, which are eco-friendly materials. AgBiS2 and Ag2S QD films were prepared by spin-coating nanoparticle solutions and subsequent heat treatment. The effects of the heat treatment on residual ligands and photoluminescence were determined by surface analysis. The photocurrent response of the AgBiS2 and Ag2S QD films was measured in the near-infrared region, and the effect of the heat treatment temperature was investigated. The results indicate that AgBiS2 and Ag2S are prospective materials for near-infrared photodetectors.

Changes in Intestinal Microbiota Due to the Expanded Polystyrene Diet of Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor).

Expanded polystyrene (EPS), which is difficult to decompose, is usually buried or incinerated, causing the natural environment to be contaminated with microplastics and environmental hormones. Digestion of EPS by mealworms has been identified as a possible biological solution to the problem of pollution, but the complete degradation mechanism of EPS is not yet known. Intestinal microorganisms play a significant role in the degradation of EPS by mealworms, and relatively few other EPS degradation microorganisms are currently known. This study observed significant differences in the intestinal microbiota of mealworms according to the dietary results of metagenomics analysis and biodiversity indices. We have proposed two new candidates of EPS-degrading bacteria, Cronobacter sakazakii and Lactococcus garvieae, which increased significantly in the EPS feeding group population. The population change and the new two bacteria will help us understand the biological mechanism of EPS degradation and develop practical EPS degradation methods.

Atomic-Layer-Deposition-Based 2D Transition Metal Chalcogenides: Synthesis, Modulation, and Applications.

Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) are a large family of 2D materials with different properties, and are promising candidates for a wide range of applications such as nanoelectronics, sensors, energy conversion, and energy storage. In the research of new materials, the development and investigation of industry-compatible synthesis techniques is of key importance. In this respect, it is important to study 2D TMC materials synthesized by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, which is widely applied in industries. In addition to the synthesis of 2D TMCs, ALD is used to modulate the characteristic of 2D TMCs such as their carrier density and morphology. So far, the improvement of thin film uniformity without oxidation and the synthesis of low-dimensional nanomaterials on 2D TMCs have been the research focus. Herein, the synthesis and modulation of 2D TMCs by ALD is described, and the characteristics of ALD-based TMCs used in nanoelectronics, sensors, and energy applications are discussed.

Improved Sensitivity in Schottky Contacted Two-Dimensional MoS2 Gas Sensor.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides have attracted significant attention as gas-sensing materials owing to their superior responsivity at room temperature and their possible application as flexible electronic devices. Especially, reliable responsivity and selectivity for various environmentally harmful gases are the main requirements for the future chemiresistive-type gas sensor applications. In this study, we demonstrate improved sensitivity of a 2D MoS2-based gas sensor by controlling the Schottky barrier height. Chemical vapor deposition process was performed at low temperature to obtain layer-controlled 2D MoS2, and the NO2 gas responsivity was confirmed by the fabricated gas sensor. Then, the number of MoS2 layers was fixed and the types of electrode materials were varied for controlling the Schottky barrier height. As the Schottky barrier height increased, the NO2 responsivity increased, and it was found to be effective for CO and CO2 gases, which had little reactivity in 2D MoS2-based gas sensors.

Correction: Textile-based high-performance hydrogen evolution of low-temperature atomic layer deposition of cobalt sulfide.

Correction for 'Textile-based high-performance hydrogen evolution of low-temperature atomic layer deposition of cobalt sulfide' by Jusang Park, Hyungjun Kim et al., Nanoscale, 2019, 11, 844-850.

Textile-based high-performance hydrogen evolution of low-temperature atomic layer deposition of cobalt sulfide.

Hydrogen is an appealing green energy resource to meet increasing energy demands. To produce hydrogen using the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), platinum, an expensive and scarce metal, is commonly used and plays a crucial role in maximizing catalytic performance. Transition metal chalcogenides, especially cobalt sulfides (CoSx), are considered an alternative to platinum because of their electrochemical properties, for example, low Tafel slopes and overpotentials. Here, we report a light weight, flexible textile-based HER catalyst through a low-temperature process using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) of CoSx. The electrochemical properties of HER catalysts were investigated and found to be impressive, with a low Tafel slope of 41 mV dec-1 and high exchange current density, demonstrating that these are one of the best characteristics among textile-based HER catalysts. The superb catalytic performances were attributed to the amorphous CoSx phase, confirmed by DFT calculations. This study demonstrates that the integration of HER catalysts with textiles allows the development of highly efficient hydrogen energy production systems.

High-Performance Gas Sensor Using a Large-Area WS2 xSe2-2 x Alloy for Low-Power Operation Wearable Applications.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted considerable attention as promising building blocks for a new generation of gas-sensing devices because of their excellent electrical properties, superior response, flexibility, and low-power consumption. Owing to their large surface-to-volume ratio, various 2D TMDCs, such as MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2, have exhibited excellent gas-sensing characteristics. However, exploration toward the enhancement of TMDC gas-sensing performance has not yet been intensively addressed. Here, we synthesized large-area uniform WS2 xSe2-2 x alloys for room-temperature gas sensors. As-synthesized WS2 xSe2-2 x alloys exhibit an elaborative composition control owing to their thermodynamically stable sulfurization process. Further, utilizing uniform WS2 xSe2-2 x alloys over a large area, we demonstrated improved NO2-sensing performance compared to WSe2 on the basis of an electronic sensitization mechanism. The WS0.96Se1.04 alloy gas sensor exhibits 2.4 times enhanced response for NO2 exposure. Further, we demonstrated a low-power wearable NO2-detecting wristband that operates at room temperature. Our results show that the proposed method is a promising strategy to improve 2D TMDC gas sensors and has a potential for applications in advanced gas-sensing devices.

Recovery Improvement for Large-Area Tungsten Diselenide Gas Sensors.

Semiconducting two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides are considered promising gas-sensing materials because of their large surface-to-volume ratio, excellent electrical conductivity, and susceptible surfaces. However, enhancement of the recovery performance has not yet been intensively explored. In this study, a large-area uniform WSe2 is synthesized for use in a high-performance semiconductor gas sensor. At room temperature, the WSe2 gas sensor shows a significantly high response (4140%) to NO2 compared to the use of NH3, CO2, and acetone. This paper demonstrates improved recovery of the WSe2 gas sensor's NO2-sensing performance by utilizing external thermal energy. In addition, a novel strategy for improving the recovery of the WSe2 gas sensor is realized by reacting NH3 and adsorbed NO2 on the surface of WSe2: the NO2 molecules are spontaneously desorbed, and the recovery time is dramatically decreased (85 min → 43 s). It is expected that the fast recovery of the WSe2 gas sensor achieved here will be used to develop an environmental monitoring system platform.

Low-temperature synthesis of 2D MoS2 on a plastic substrate for a flexible gas sensor.

The efficient synthesis of two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (2D MoS2) at low temperatures is essential for use in flexible devices. In this study, 2D MoS2 was grown directly at a low temperature of 200 °C on both hard (SiO2) and soft substrates (polyimide (PI)) using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with Mo(CO)6 and H2S. We investigated the effect of the growth temperature and Mo concentration on the layered growth by Raman spectroscopy and microscopy. 2D MoS2 was grown by using low Mo concentration at a low temperature. Through optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and transmission electron microscopy measurements, MoS2 produced by low-temperature CVD was determined to possess a layered structure with good uniformity, stoichiometry, and a controllable number of layers. Furthermore, we demonstrated the realization of a 2D MoS2-based flexible gas sensor on a PI substrate without any transfer processes, with competitive sensor performance and mechanical durability at room temperature. This fabrication process has potential for burgeoning flexible and wearable nanotechnology applications.

Catalytic chemical vapor deposition of large-area uniform two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide using sodium chloride.

The effective synthesis of atomically thin molybdenum disulfides (MoS2) of high quality and uniformity over a large area is essential for their use in electronic and optical devices. In this work, we synthesize MoS2 that exhibit a high quality and large area uniformity using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with volatile S organic compound and NaCl catalysts. In the latter process, the NaCl enhances the growth rate (5 min for synthesis of monolayer MoS2) and purity of the synthesized MoS2. The optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and transmission electron microscopy measurements indicate that the NaCl-CVD MoS2 has a large grain size, clear Raman shift, strong photoluminescence, good stoichiometry, and 6-fold coordination symmetry. Moreover, we demonstrate that the electron mobility (10.4 cm2 V-1 s-1) and on/off current ratio (3 × 107) of monolayer MoS2 measured using a field-effect transistor are comparable to those of previously reported MoS2 synthesized using CVD.

Effect of Al2O3 Deposition on Performance of Top-Gated Monolayer MoS2-Based Field Effect Transistor.

Deposition of high-k dielectrics on two-dimensional MoS2 is an important process for successful application of the transition-metal dichalcogenides in electronic devices. Here, we show the effect of H2O reactant exposure on monolayer (1L) MoS2 during atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Al2O3. The results showed that the ALD-Al2O3 caused degradation of the performance of 1L MoS2 field effect transistors (FETs) owing to the formation of Mo-O bonding and trapping of H2O molecules at the Al2O3/MoS2 interface. Furthermore, we demonstrated that reduced duration of exposure to H2O reactant and postdeposition annealing were essential to the enhancement of the performance of top-gated 1L MoS2 FETs. The mobility and on/off current ratios were increased by factors of approximately 40 and 103, respectively, with reduced duration of exposure to H2O reactant and with postdeposition annealing.

Improvement of Gas-Sensing Performance of Large-Area Tungsten Disulfide Nanosheets by Surface Functionalization.

Semiconducting two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are promising gas-sensing materials due to their large surface-to-volume ratio. However, their poor gas-sensing performance resulting from the low response, incomplete recovery, and insufficient selectivity hinders the realization of high-performance 2D TMDC gas sensors. Here, we demonstrate the improvement of gas-sensing performance of large-area tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets through surface functionalization using Ag nanowires (NWs). Large-area WS2 nanosheets were synthesized through atomic layer deposition of WO3 followed by sulfurization. The pristine WS2 gas sensors exhibited a significant response to acetone and NO2 but an incomplete recovery in the case of NO2 sensing. After AgNW functionalization, the WS2 gas sensor showed dramatically improved response (667%) and recovery upon NO2 exposure. Our results establish that the proposed method is a promising strategy to improve 2D TMDC gas sensors.

Self-Limiting Layer Synthesis of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides.

This work reports the self-limiting synthesis of an atomically thin, two dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) in the form of MoS2. The layer controllability and large area uniformity essential for electronic and optical device applications is achieved through atomic layer deposition in what is named self-limiting layer synthesis (SLS); a process in which the number of layers is determined by temperature rather than process cycles due to the chemically inactive nature of 2D MoS2. Through spectroscopic and microscopic investigation it is demonstrated that SLS is capable of producing MoS2 with a wafer-scale (~10 cm) layer-number uniformity of more than 90%, which when used as the active layer in a top-gated field-effect transistor, produces an on/off ratio as high as 10(8). This process is also shown to be applicable to WSe2, with a PN diode fabricated from a MoS2/WSe2 heterostructure exhibiting gate-tunable rectifying characteristics.

Controllable synthesis of molybdenum tungsten disulfide alloy for vertically composition-controlled multilayer.

The effective synthesis of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides alloy is essential for successful application in electronic and optical devices based on a tunable band gap. Here we show a synthesis process for Mo1-xWxS2 alloy using sulfurization of super-cycle atomic layer deposition Mo1-xWxOy. Various spectroscopic and microscopic results indicate that the synthesized Mo1-xWxS2 alloys have complete mixing of Mo and W atoms and tunable band gap by systematically controlled composition and layer number. Based on this, we synthesize a vertically composition-controlled (VCC) Mo1-xWxS2 multilayer using five continuous super-cycles with different cycle ratios for each super-cycle. Angle-resolved X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, Raman and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer results reveal that a VCC Mo1-xWxS2 multilayer has different vertical composition and broadband light absorption with strong interlayer coupling within a VCC Mo1-xWxS2 multilayer. Further, we demonstrate that a VCC Mo1-xWxS2 multilayer photodetector generates three to four times greater photocurrent than MoS2- and WS2-based devices, owing to the broadband light absorption.

Synthesis of carbon nanotube-nickel nanocomposites using atomic layer deposition for high-performance non-enzymatic glucose sensing.

A useful strategy has been developed to fabricate carbon-nanotube-nickel (CNT-Ni) nanocomposites through atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Ni and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of functionalized CNTs. Various techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were used to characterize the morphology and the structure of as-prepared samples. It was confirmed that the products possess uniform Ni nanoparticles that are constructed by finely controlled deposition of Ni onto oxygen or bromine functionalized CNT surface. Electrochemical studies indicate that the CNT-Ni nanocomposites exhibit high electrocatalytic activity for glucose oxidation in alkaline solutions, which enables the products to be used in enzyme-free electrochemical sensors for glucose determination. It was demonstrated that the CNT-Ni nanocomposite-based glucose biosensor offers a variety of merits, such as a wide linear response window for glucose concentrations of 5 µM-2 mM, short response time (3 s), a low detection limit (2 µM), high sensitivity (1384.1 µA mM(-1) cm(-2)), and good selectivity and repeatability.

Layer-modulated synthesis of uniform tungsten disulfide nanosheet using gas-phase precursors.

The synthesis of layered transition-metal-disulfide (MS2, M = Mo, W) nanosheets with layer controllability and large-area uniformity is an essential requirement for their application in electronic and optical devices. In this report, we describe a synthesis process of WS2 nanosheets with layer controllability and high uniformity using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and WCl6 and H2S as gas-phase precursors. Through this process, we can systematically modulate the thickness of WS2 nanosheets by controlling the duration of the reaction between WCl6 and H2S. The CVD-grown WS2 nanosheets exhibit good stoichiometry as well as dependencies of a clear Raman shift and bandgap on the number of layers. These properties are confirmed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence measurements. The number of layers of WS2 nanosheets is confirmed by atomic force microscopy. Finally, we demonstrate the fabrication and performance of a photodetector based on a hybrid structure consisting of graphene and a WS2 nanosheet.

Fabrication of transferable Al(2)O(3) nanosheet by atomic layer deposition for graphene FET.

Without introducing defects in the monolayer of carbon lattice, the deposition of high-κ dielectric material is a significant challenge because of the difficulty of high-quality oxide nucleation on graphene. Previous investigations of the deposition of high-κ dielectrics on graphene have often reported significant degradation of the electrical properties of graphene. In this study, we report a new way to integrate high-κ dielectrics with graphene by transferring a high-κ dielectric nanosheet onto graphene. Al2O3 film was deposited on a sacrificial layer using an atomic layer deposition process and the Al2O3 nanosheet was fabricated by removing the sacrificial layer. Top-gated graphene field-effect transistors were fabricated and characterized using the Al2O3 nanosheet as a gate dielectric. The top-gated graphene was demonstrated to have a field-effect mobility up to 2200 cm(2)/(V s). This method provides a new method for high-performance graphene devices with broad potential impacts reaching from high-frequency high-speed circuits to flexible electronics.

Layer-controlled, wafer-scale, and conformal synthesis of tungsten disulfide nanosheets using atomic layer deposition.

The synthesis of atomically thin transition-metal disulfides (MS2) with layer controllability and large-area uniformity is an essential requirement for their application in electronic and optical devices. In this work, we describe a process for the synthesis of WS2 nanosheets through the sulfurization of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) WO3 film with systematic layer controllability and wafer-level uniformity. The X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, Raman, and photoluminescence measurements exhibit that the ALD-based WS2 nanosheets have good stoichiometry, clear Raman shift, and bandgap dependence as a function of the number of layers. The electron mobility of the monolayer WS2 measured using a field-effect transistor (FET) with a high-k dielectric gate insulator is shown to be better than that of CVD-grown WS2, and the subthreshold swing is comparable to that of an exfoliated MoS2 FET device. Moreover, by utilizing the high conformality of the ALD process, we have developed a process for the fabrication of WS2 nanotubes.