Lithography-free, high-density MoTe₂ nanoribbon arrays

• Main Authors: Deng, Ya., Zhu, Chao, Wang, Yu, Wang, Xiaowei, Zhao, Xiaoxu, Wu, Yao, Tang, Bijun, Duan, Ruihuan, Zhou, Kun, Liu, Zheng
• Other Authors: School of Materials Science and Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Engineering::Nanotechnology; Engineering::Materials::Nanostructured materials; Nanoribbons; Array
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/161705
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have shown a range of extraordinary properties including superconductivity, topological states and ferroelectricity. Among them, 2D arrays with emerging properties have drawn intense interest due to their great potentials in implementing high-density electric devices and advanced integrated circuits. The controllable synthesis of large arrays of 2D elements offers the key advance but remains unsolved. Here we report a one-step chemical vapor deposition (CVD) synthesis strategy for achieving single-crystalline MoTe2 nanoribbon arrays directly on normal SiO2/Si substrate, requiring neither the special stepped substrate nor the post-processing. The lithography-free synthesized ribbons are found to be well-aligned with a density ten times higher than that reported in MoS2. Further scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and first-principles calculation results reveal a crystal-structure boosted solid–liquid-vapor (SLV) self-etching mechanism. Our findings provide a convenient synthesis strategy to achieve high-density nanoarrays that serve as platforms for integrated nanoscale electric devices.