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Title: Chemisorption-induced n-doping of MoS{sub 2} by oxygen

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4941551· OSTI ID:22489440
; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore, Singapore 117583 (Singapore)
  2. Engineering Science Program, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore 117579 (Singapore)

Both chemisorption and physisorption affect the electronic properties of two-dimensional materials, such as MoS{sub 2}, but it remains a challenge to probe their respective roles experimentally. Through repeated in-situ electrical measurements of few-layer MoS{sub 2} field-effect transistors in an ultrahigh vacuum system with well-controlled oxygen partial pressure (6 × 10{sup −8} mbar–3 × 10{sup −7} mbar), we were able to study the effect of chemisorption on surface defects separately from physically adsorbed oxygen molecules. It is found that chemisorption of oxygen results in n-doping in the channel but negligible effect on mobility and on/off ratio of the MoS{sub 2} transistors. These results are in disagreement with the previous reports on p-doping and degradation of the device's performance when both chemisorption and physisorption are present. Through the analysis of adsorption-desorption kinetics and the first-principles calculations of electronic properties, we show that the experimentally observed n-doping effect originates from dissociative adsorption of oxygen at the surface defects of MoS{sub 2}, which lowers the conduction band edge locally and makes the MoS{sub 2} channel more n-type-like as compared to the as-fabricated devices.

OSTI ID:
22489440
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 108, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English