Transferring 2D TMDs through water-soluble sodium salt catalytic layer

Abstract

This study reports a clean and damage-free transfer method that enables the ultrafast transfer of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) onto desired substrates with a remarkably high yield. We employ a water-soluble sodium salt as both a transfer sacrificial layer for facile transfer and a catalytic layer for the growth of high-quality large-area MoS2 using liquid-phase chemical vapor deposition via a catalyzed kinetic growth. We show that the pristine structural and electrical properties of the grown MoS2 can be reliably preserved by avoiding detrimental effects during the prolonged harsh-environment transfer process. We demonstrate the technological versatility of the proposed transfer method by fabricating as-transferred MoS2-based back-gated field-effect transistors (FETs). The MoS2 FETs exhibit excellent charge mobility as high as 28.7 cm2 V−1 s−1 and an on–off ratio up to ∼107 at room temperature, indicating no performance degradation after the transfer process. The proposed transfer method offers universal applicability for various 2D TMDs, mechanical supporting polymers, and target substrates, thus facilitating the facile fabrication of 2D TMD-based electronics and optoelectronics.