Electrical conductivity of MoS2 thin films and graphite under continuous injection to protons

Abstract

The electrical conductivity of thin films of MoS2 and graphite has been studied under conditions of continuous injection of low-energy protons (∼ 1-4 keV). The effect of a sharp increase (by 3-4 orders of magnitude) in the electrical conductivity of substances with a layered structure (MoS2 and graphite) at T ∼ 293 K has been established. The observed effect increases (from 2 to 10 times) as the temperature decreases from room temperature to liquid nitrogen temperature (T ∼ 77 K) and with increasing number of protons injected into the sample. The established temperature variation of electrical resistance is typical for materials with a metallic type of conductivity. It is shown that a thin surface layer, onto which protons penetrate, is responsible for the change in the electrical conductivity of MoS2 and graphite films.