Chemical vapor deposition merges MoS2 grains into high-quality and centimeter-scale films on Si/SiO2

Abstract

Two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has attracted increasing attention due to its promise for next-generation electronics. To realize MoS₂-based electronics, however, a synthesis method is required that produces a uniform single-layer material and that is compatible with existing semiconductor fabrication techniques. Here, we demonstrate that uniform films of single-layer MoS₂ can be directly produced on Si/SiO₂ at wafer-scale without the use of catalysts or promoters. Control of the precursor transport through oxygen dosing yielded complete coverage and increased connectivity between crystalline MoS₂ domains. Spectroscopic characterization and carrier transport measurements furthermore revealed a reduced density of defects compared to conventional chemical vapor deposition growth that increased the quantum yield over ten-fold. To demonstrate the impact of enhanced scale and optoelectronic performance, centimeter-scale arrays of MoS₂ photosensors were produced that demonstrate unprecedentedly high and uniform responsivity. Our approach improves the prospect of MoS₂ for future applications.