New Mo<sub>6</sub> Te<sub>6</sub> Sub-Nanometer-Diameter Nanowire Phase from 2H-MoTe<sub>2</sub>.

Zhu, Hui; Wang, Qingxiao; Zhang, Chenxi; Addou, Rafik; Cho, Kyeongjae; Wallace, Robert M; Kim, Moon J · Adv Mater · 2017

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

A novel phase transition, from multilayered 2H-MoTe<sub>2</sub> to a parallel bundle of sub-nanometer-diameter metallic Mo<sub>6</sub> Te<sub>6</sub> nanowires (NWs) driven by catalyzer-free thermal-activation (400-500 °C) under vacuum, is demonstrated. The NWs form along the 〈11-20〉 2H-MoTe<sub>2</sub> crystallographic directions with lengths in the micrometer range. The metallic NWs can act as an efficient hole injection layer on top of 2H-MoTe<sub>2</sub> due to favorable band-alignment. In particular, an atomically sharp MoTe<sub>2</sub> /Mo<sub>6</sub> Te<sub>6</sub> interface and van der Waals gap with the 2H layers are preserved. The work highlights an alternative pathway for forming a new transition metal dichalcogenide phase and will enable future exploration of its intrinsic transportation properties.