MoS2 Layers Research Articles

First-principles study on the electronic and optical properties of pn-type SnO/MoS[formula omitted] heterojunction tuned by various intrinsic vacancy defects and layer thicknesses

The impact of various intrinsic point defects and layer thicknesses on the electronic structure and optical properties of pn-type SnO/MoS2 heterojunctions has been investigated using first-principles calculations in this study. SnO/MoS2 heterojunctions are indirect bandgap semiconductors, with a narrower bandgap compared to monolayer SnO and MoS2, which decreases with increasing thickness of SnO or MoS2 layers. Intrinsic vacancy defects with different valence states were introduced using the transfer to the real state model method, which ensures that ionized electrons or holes are placed in the real band edge states. The primary intrinsic vacancy defects in the SnO/MoS2 heterojunction are Sn vacancies, and the valence states of the defects significantly influence the defect formation energy. Under different growth conditions, the dominant defects transition between VSn2−, VSn−, VO, and VS as the Fermi level varies. The intrinsic monolayer (1/1) SnO/MoS2 heterojunction exhibits weak n-type doping characteristics, while the introduction of VSn− defects leads to a shift towards p-type doping. As the number of SnO layers increases, VSn2− and VS defects introduce defect levels of different degrees in the bandgap, acting as electron–hole recombination centers and facilitating the transition between p-type doping and metallic conductivity characteristics. Increasing the number of MoS2 layers introduces localized defect energy levels in the bandgap, leading to p-doping or n-doping characteristics. The intrinsic SnO/MoS2 heterojunction primarily absorbs in the near-ultraviolet region, while also exhibiting a certain absorption capacity in the visible and deep ultraviolet regions. The presence of Sn and S defects can enhance the response to visible light absorption.

Flexible and Disposable Gas Sensors Based on Two-Dimensional Materials

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) nanomaterials, in particular Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), have been employed frequently as a basis for flexible gas sensors due to their extreme sensitivity to gas molecules, super mechanical and electrical properties, and large surface area. This work aims to study the behavior of the flexible gas sensor made of 2D-MoS2 under exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas at the part per million (ppm) level. The mono-layered MoS2 was successfully synthesized by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). The formation of MoS2 layers was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and Photoluminescence (PL). Two different gas-sensing devices were fabricated by transferring two MoS2 samples (obtained from two positions inside the CVD tube) onto paper substrates. Specifically, upstream sample Sup was obtained from an area near the MoO3 source, and downstream sample Sdown was obtained from an area far from the MoO3 source. Both sensors showed a good response to a concentration as low as (1.5 ppm) of NO2. Although a high response of 62.8% along with a fast response of 9 sec were recorded by Sdown, the sensor showed a slow recovery time of 42 sec. On the other hand, Sup showed good stability with an appropriate response of 36.8% along with a reasonable response time and recovery times of 20 and 27 sec, respectively. Such behavior could be accredited to the difference in the reactivity in both MoS2 samples. This work opens the way for further improvements in manufacturing MoS2-based flexible gas sensors.

Systematic inspection on the interplay between MoNa-induced sodium and the formation of MoSe2 intermediate layer in CIGSe/Mo heterostructures

The critical impact of sodium-doped molybdenum (MoNa) in shaping the MoSe2 interfacial layer, influencing the electrical properties of CIGSe/Mo heterostructures, and achieving optimal MoSe2 formation conditions, leading to improved hetero-contact quality. Notably, samples with a 600-nm-thick MoNa layer demonstrate the highest resistivity (73 μΩcm) and sheet resistance (0.45 Ω/square), highlighting the substantial impact of MoNa layer thickness on electrical conductivity. Controlled sodium diffusion through MoNa layers is essential for achieving desirable electrical characteristics, influencing Na diffusion rates, grain sizes, and overall morphology, as elucidated by EDX and FESEM analyses. Additionally, XRD results provide insights into the spontaneous peeling-off phenomenon, with the sample featuring a ~ 600-nm MoNa layer displaying the strongest diffraction peak and the largest crystal size, indicative of enhanced Mo to MoSe2 conversion facilitated by sodium presence. Raman spectra further confirm the presence of MoSe2, with its thickness correlating with MoNa layer thickness. The observed increase in resistance and decrease in conductivity with rising MoSe2 layer thickness underscore the critical importance of optimal MoSe2 formation for transitioning from Schottky to ohmic contact in CIGSe/Mo heterostructures. Ultimately, significant factors to the advancement of CIGSe thin-film solar cell production are discussed, providing nuanced insights into the interplay of MoNa and MoSe2, elucidating their collective impact on the electrical characteristics of CIGSe/Mo heterostructures.Graphical

Investigating structural, optical, and electron-transport properties of lithium intercalated few-layer MoS2 films: Unraveling the influence of disorder

Molybdenum disulfide is a promising candidate for various applications in electronics, optoelectronics, or alkali-ion batteries. The natural presence of the van der Waals gap allows intercalating alkali ions, such as lithium, into MoS2 films. Intercalation can modify the electronic structure as well as the electrical and optical properties. Here, we present a structural, optical, and electrical characterization of Li-intercalated few-layer MoS2 films. The intercalation was carried out by annealing MoS2 film in the presence of Li2S powder, serving as a lithium source. The initial MoS2 layers were prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and by sulfurization of 1 nm thick Mo film (TAC). The presence of lithium was confirmed by synchrotron-based x-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and optical absorption measurements confirmed semiconducting behavior for all samples. All samples exhibited the thermally activated dependence of the electrical resistance, R, typical for the Efros–Shklovskii variable range hopping in a disordered semiconductor, ln R(T) ∝ (TES/T)1/2, where kBTES is the hopping activation energy. The PLD-grown MoS2 samples exhibited a relatively mild initial disorder primarily caused by grain boundaries. Lithium intercalation led to an increase in disorder, evident in the increase in kBTES and a substantial rise in electrical resistance. The TAC-grown undoped MoS2 sample already exhibited significant resistance, and the impact of Li intercalation on resistance was minimal. This observation was attributed to the fact that the TAC-grown MoS2 samples exhibit a perturbed stoichiometry (the S:Mo ratio ∼ 2.20), causing strong disorder even before Li intercalation. The electron doping caused by lithium, if any, was completely obscured by the effect of disorder.

Machinability of MoS2 after Oxygen Plasma Treatment under Mechanical Scanning Probe Lithography

The surface of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) underwent oxygen plasma treatment to enhance its machinability and mitigate the tearing effects commonly associated with mechanical forces on 2D materials. This treatment led to the oxidation of the atoms on the top 1–3 layers of MoS2, resulting in the formation of MoO3 on the surface. During mechanical scanning probe lithography (m-SPL), only the surface oxide layer was uniformly removed, with material accumulation occurring predominantly on one side of the machined area. The resolution of the machining process was significantly enhanced via dynamic lithography while maintaining atomic-level smoothness in the machined area. Importantly, these techniques only removed the surface oxide layer, preserving the integrity of the underlying MoS2 surface, which was pivotal in avoiding damage to the original material structure. This study provided valuable insights and practical guidance for the nanofabrication of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) nanodevices, demonstrating a method to finely tune the machining of these materials.

Tuning the Optoelectronic Properties of Pulsed Laser Deposited “3D”‐MoS2 Films via the Degree of Vertical Alignment of Their Constituting Layers

AbstractPulsed‐laser‐deposition (PLD) is used to deposit MoS2 thin films at substrate temperatures (Td) ranging from 25 to 700 °C. A Td = 500 °C is identified as the optimal temperature that yields MoS2 films consisting of highly‐crystallized 2H‐MoS2 phase with a strong (002) preferential orientation, a direct optical bandgap (Eg) of ∼1.4 eV and a strong photoresponse of ∼1500%. Raman spectroscopy revealed that the degree of vertical alignment of MoS2 layers in the films also reaches its maximum at Td = 500 °C. High‐resolution‐transmission‐electron‐microscopy has provided a clear‐cut evidence that the PLD‐MoS2 films predominantly consist of vertically aligned MoS2 layers over all the film thickness of ∼90 nm, enabling those “3D” films to behave as a direct‐bandgap “2D‐MoS2” with exceptional optoelectronic properties. Indeed, at Td = 500 °C, the PLD‐MoS2 based photodetectors (PDs) devices are shown to exhibit the highest responsivity (R) and detectivity (D*) values (125 mA W−1 and 9.2 × 109 Jones, respectively) ever reported for large area (≥ 1 cm2) MoS2‐based PDs operating at a voltage as low as 1 V. For the first time, a constant‐plus‐linear relationship between Eg, R, and D* of the PDs and the degree of vertical alignment of the MoS2 layers is established. Such a correlation is fundamental for the controlled growth of PLD‐MoS2 films and the tuning of their properties in view of their integration with standard large‐scale‐integration processing.

Structural engineering of MoSe2 via interfacial effect and phosphorus doping incorporation for high energy density sodium ion storage

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are gaining increasing attention for the development of electrode materials due to their potential to alleviate the safety concerns and resource scarcity associated with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Based on this, the present work, built upon the electrospinning preparation of hollow carbon nanofibers (HCNFs), facilitated the in-situ growth of MoSe2 nanosheets on their surface. Subsequently, an in-situ phosphorization treatment was applied, resulting in phosphorus-doped MoSe2 (P-MoSe2)@HCNFs. The dual-channel inner layer of HCNFs in this structure promotes ion transport and directly interfaces with MoSe2, leading to abundant interfacial effects. The outer layer of MoSe2 serves as the primary redox-active unit for sodium ions, retaining numerous active sites. P doping further optimizes the overall electronic structure of the material. P-MoSe2@HCNFs serves as the anode material in SIBs, demonstrating exceptional reversible specific capacity and rate capabilities. It achieves a remarkable 479.17 mAh g−1 over 500 cycles at 1 A g−1 and 397.01 mAh g−1 over 950 cycles at 10 A g−1, showcasing its outstanding performance. These values significantly surpass those of MoSe2@HCNFs and pure MoSe2, validating the pronounced advantages of the structure we have constructed. Leveraging the outstanding kinetic performance of P-MoSe2@HCNFs, when assembled with Na3V2(PO4)3 as the cathode, the full cell exhibits remarkable sodium storage capability. It achieves a high energy density of up to 194.75 Wh kg−1, providing a feasible solution for the application of transition metal selenides in sodium-ion battery systems.

Highly sensitive ZnO/Ag/BaTiO3/MoS2 hybrid structure-based surface plasmon biosensor for the detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria

This study presents a novel biosensor utilizing surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology, comprising og zinc oxide (ZnO), silver (Ag), barium titanate (BaTiO3), and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). The detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria was accomplished through the utilization of the hybrid structure. The transfer matrix method (TMM) and finite element method are employed to analyze the suggested surface plasmon resonance (SPR) structure. A comparative analysis has been conducted to evaluate the angular sensitivity between normal blood samples (NBS) and cells affected by tuberculosis (TB). The optimization of the performance of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) structure involves adjusting the thickness of ZnO, Ag and BaTiO3 layer. The accurate measurement of the full width at half maximum (FWHM), detection accuracy (DA), quality factor and figure of merits (FOM) has also been conducted. The optimal angular sensitivity has been determined to be 10 nm for ZnO, 40 nm for Ag, 1.5 nm for BaTiO3, and one layer of MoS2 with a sensitivity of 525 deg./RIU. Additionally, this study compared the effects on sensitivity of two dimensional materials graphene, WS2 and MoS2. In contrast to the currently available biosensor utilizing surface plasmon resonance (SPR), the suggested structure exhibits higher angular sensitivity. Due to its improved sensitivity, the biosensor under consideration exhibits potential for detecting a wide range of biological analytes and organic compounds.

Temperature-Dependent Frictional Behavior of MoS2 in Humid Environments: Insights from Water Molecule Adsorption and DFT Analyses.

This study investigates the temperature-dependent frictional behavior of MoS2 in humid environments within the context of a long-standing debate over increased friction due to oxidation processes or molecular adsorption. By combining sliding friction experiments and density functional theory (DFT)-based first-principles simulations, it aims to clarify the role of water molecule adsorption in influencing frictional properties of MoS2, addressing the challenge of identifying interfacial bonding behavior responsible for friction in such conditions. Sliding experiments revealed that magnetron-sputtered MoS2 exhibits a reduction in the coefficient of friction (COF) with an increase in temperature from 25 to 100 °C under 20 and 40% relative humidity. This change in the COF obeys the Arrhenius law, presenting an energy barrier of 0.165 eV, indicative of the temperature-dependent nature of these frictional changes and suggests a consistent frictional mechanism. DFT simulations showed that H2O molecules are adsorbed at MoS2 vacancy defects with adsorption energies ranging from -0.56 to -0.17 eV, which align with the experimentally determined energy barrier. Adsorptive interactions, particularly the formation of stable H···S interfacial hydrogen bonds at defect sites, increase the interlayer adhesion and impede layer shearing. TEM analysis confirms that although MoS2 layers align parallel to the sliding direction in humid conditions, the COF remains at 0.12, as opposed to approximately 0.02 in dry air. This demonstrates that parallel layer alignment does not notably decrease the COF, underscoring humidity's significant role in MoS2's COF values, a result also supported by the Arrhenius analysis. The reversibility of the physisorption process, demonstrated by the recovery of the COF in high-temperature humid environments, suggests its dynamic nature. This study yields fundamental insights into MoS2 interfaces for environments with variable humidity and temperature, crucial for demanding tribological applications.

Demystifying the modulation effects of the graphene transport layers on the interlayer charge transfer mechanism and broadband optical properties of MoS2/graphene/WSe2 Van der Waals heterojunctions

2D materials and heterojunctions have extraordinary potential in the field of next-generation integrated photodetectors. Recently, inserting graphene (Gra) into Van der Waals heterojunctions as transport layers has been proven to be an effective method for improving the responsivity and response speed of photodetectors. However, how did the physical mechanisms caused by the insertion (interlayer coupling and electron transfer) regulate its optical properties are unclear. Meanwhile, whether the insertion will modulate the broadband optical properties of the heterojunction should also be carefully verified. In this work, the broadband (1.25–6.50 eV) electronic band structures and exciton properties of MoS2/WSe2 and MoS2/Gra/WSe2 were studied using spectroscopic ellipsometry, meanwhile Raman and PL spectroscopy were used to assist in analysis. We found that graphene insertion not only promote the spontaneous charge transfer from WSe2 to MoS2, but also effectively inject electrons into the MoS2 layer, which benefits the interlayer charge separation and net charge accumulation in MoS2. Moreover, the almost stable CP energies near the band edge represent that graphene insertion does not change the electronic band structures of MoS2/WSe2. Furthermore, due to the increasing effective dielectric screening induced by graphene insertion, the exciton binding energies redshift and the exciton transition energy blueshift consequently.

CVD grown bi-layer MoS2 as SERS substrate: Nanomolar detection of R6G and temperature response

The two-dimensional bi-layer MoS2 is less investigated as compared to monolayer and few-layer (4–6 layers) MoS2 for fundamental aspects and applications such as photodetectors, transistors, etc. In the present work, we prepare triangular-shaped bi-layer MoS2 over SiO2/Si substrate via chemical vapour deposition (CVD) technique for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based detection of Rhodamine 6G (R6G). We perform density functional theory calculations and spectroscopy studies to investigate the semiconducting feature of bi-layer MoS2. We demonstrate the nanomolar concentration (10-9 M) limit for R6G detection at room temperature using pristine bi-layer MoS2 as SERS substrate. Further, we also examine the cryogenic response of the SERS detection of R6G with bi-layer MoS2 for the first time. The high detection limit of CVD-grown bi-layer MoS2 is ascribed to the charge transfer enabled via vibronic coupling between MoS2 and R6G molecules. This study paves the way for cryogenic-based SERS sensing.

MoS2 based flexible photodetector for broadband visible light photodetection

In recent years, flexible photodetectors (PD) have emerged as a significant innovation with potential applications in healthcare, security, and environmental monitoring. Two-dimensional (2D) layers of metal dichalcogenides MoS2 have gathered significant attention due to their ultrathin thickness and promising applications in the fields of flexible PD. 2H phase of MoS2 micro-flowers were synthesized by facile hydrothermal route. Raman spectra was employed to analyze the quality of grown MoS2 and confirmed with E12g and A1g Raman phonon modes. The micro-flower morphological was verified through FESEM. Subsequently, PD device was fabricated through bar coating method over a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate and Indium Tin oxide (ITO) was employed as an electrode. Photodetection property of the device was tested under dark and illumination. MoS2-microflower PD exhibit good photoresponsivity and detectivity of 1.5 µA/W and 105 Jones at 5 V respectively. Moreover, detector demonstrated remarkable flexibility and exceptional air stability.

Electrical characterization of multi-gated WSe2/MoS2 van der Waals heterojunctions

Vertical stacking of different two-dimensional (2D) materials into van der Waals heterostructures exploits the properties of individual materials as well as their interlayer coupling, thereby exhibiting unique electrical and optical properties. Here, we study and investigate a system consisting entirely of different 2D materials for the implementation of electronic devices that are based on quantum mechanical band-to-band tunneling transport such as tunnel diodes and tunnel field-effect transistors. We fabricated and characterized van der Waals heterojunctions based on semiconducting layers of WSe2 and MoS2 by employing different gate configurations to analyze the transport properties of the junction. We found that the device dielectric environment is crucial for achieving tunneling transport across the heterojunction by replacing thick oxide dielectrics with thin layers of hexagonal-boronnitride. With the help of additional top gates implemented in different regions of our heterojunction device, it was seen that the tunneling properties as well as the Schottky barriers at the contact interfaces could be tuned efficiently by using layers of graphene as an intermediate contact material.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes decorated with molybdenum sulphide (MoS2@MWCNTs) for highly selective electrochemical picric acid (PA) determination

Nitrophenols are industrially versatile yet environmentally detrimental compounds. Herein, we have synthesised molybdenum sulphide based dichalcogenide supported multiwalled carbon nanotubes i.e. MoS2@MWCNTs electrocatalyst by simple wet chemical method for PA determination. The successful decoration of MoS2 over MWCNTs were confirmed by various characterizations techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows MoS2 layers grown on MWCNTs and having average size is –80 nm. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) reveals elements are homogenously distributed in nanocomposite. High resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) shows increase in average diameter after decoration of MoS2 over MWCNTs from 30 nm to 70 nm. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis suggests the presence of Mo-S stretching frequency at 605 cm−1 in addition to hydroxyl, carbonyl, C–C, C–O stretching frequencies are also observed. In Raman spectrum from apart D and G bands, the characteristic intense bands E2g1 and A1g of MoS2 were pointed towards presence of molybdenum and sulphur. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms synthesised electrocatalyst is in hexagonal crystal structure with P63/mmc space group. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals that for Mo 3d is found to be two characteristics peaks at 231.2 eV and 233.2 eV corresponds to Mo4+ 3d3/2 and 3d5/2 respectively. The peak at 229 eV corresponds to S 2s. Whereas, the signal appears at 162.7 eV, 165 eV, 169 eV and 170 eV shows sulphur is in 2S3/2 and 2S5/2 states. Electrochemical performance was examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests. The Electrocatalyst is highly selective, having appreciable anti-interference property, lower limit of detection (LoD), i.e., 0.5 μM with wide linear range. The low Rct and high k⁰ pointed that MoS2@MWCNTs performed better towards electrochemical detection of PA.

Scalable Large-Area 2D-MoS2/Silicon-Nanowire Heterostructures for Enhancing Energy Storage Applications.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides have shown great potential for energy storage applications owing to their interlayer spacing, large surface area-to-volume ratio, superior electrical properties, and chemical compatibility. Further, increasing the surface area of such materials can lead to enhanced electrical, chemical, and optical response for energy storage and generation applications. Vertical silicon nanowires (SiNWs), also known as black-Si, are an ideal substrate for 2D material growth to produce high surface-area heterostructures, owing to their ultrahigh aspect ratio. Achieving this using an industrially scalable method paves the way for next-generation energy storage devices, enabling them to enter commercialization. This work demonstrates large surface area, commercially scalable, hybrid MoS2/SiNW heterostructures, as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, with high tunability of the MoS2 layers down to the monolayer scale and conformal MoS2 growth, parallel to the silicon nanowires, as verified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This has been achieved using a two-step atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, allowing MoS2 to be grown directly onto the silicon nanowires without any damage to the substrate. The ALD cycle number accurately defines the layer number from monolayer to bulk. Introducing an ALD alumina (Al2O3) interface at the MoS2/SiNW boundary results in enhanced MoS2 quality and uniformity, demonstrated by an order of magnitude reduction in the B/A exciton photoluminescence (PL) intensity ratio to 0.3 and a reduction of the corresponding layer number. This high-quality layered growth on alumina can be utilized in applications such as for interfacial layers in high-capacity batteries or for photocathodes for water splitting. The alumina-free 100 ALD cycle heterostructures demonstrated no diminishing quality effects, lending themselves well to applications that require direct electrical contact with silicon and benefit from more layers, such as electrodes for high-capacity ion batteries.

Study of the ZnO/MoS2 heterostructures-based gas sensor for humidity-independent response

In this study, several strategies including coating with a hydrophobic MoS2 layer, UV light illumination, raising temperature, alternating current (AC), and four-probe measurement have been systematically studied to overcome humidity dependence response behavior for the ZnO sensor. Catalyst-free CVD method was used to prepare pure ZnO nanorods and ZnO/MoS2 heterostructures, and the prototypes were then fabricated on the substrates with Pt interdigital (ID) electrodes, respectively. The gas sensing properties of two sensors were systematically investigated. The ZnO/MoS2 heterostructures-based sensor with four-probe measurement operating at 150 °C shows stable responses during a wide humidity variation range. Furthermore, the ZnO/MoS2 sensor obtains excellent sensing performance to NO2 with a high sensitivity of 12.6 %/ppm and high sensor responses at 150 °C and UV light illumination. Additionally, a low theoretical LoD of 6.5 ppb NO2 is achieved for ZnO/MoS2 heterostructures-based sensor.

Switching of n- and p-type doping with partial pressure of oxygen gas on few layers MoS2-field effect transistor

We examined the oxygen adsorption effect on the electric property of the field-effect transistor with an atomic layer MoS2 channel, whose experiment was executed in well-defined ultra-high vacuum conditions and with surface treatment. The threshold voltage change of the Id-Vg curve with the oxygen partial pressure shows n-type doping in the low-pressure range and p-type doping in the high-pressure range. In this report, the Vth vs. oxygen partial pressure uptake curve is well modeled with the Langmuir type adsorption/desorption. The deduced adsorption energy indicates that the adsorbed species are oxygen atoms on the pristine MoS2, suggesting a catalytic behavior of MoS2 for the oxygen reduction reaction. The oxygen adsorption at the S vacant site induces the initial n-type doping. DFT calculation illustrates that, despite the electron transfer from the substrate to the oxygen molecule, the electronic structure change causes the n-type doping.

Molybdenum Disulfide‐based Lossy Mode Resonance Sensors: Uncovering Wider Dynamic Range and High Sensitivity Through Computational Approaches

AbstractUntil now, Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensors still rely on gold as their transducer element, and this makes cheap analytical devices difficult to achieve. On the other hand, lossy mode resonance (LMR) sensors offer transducers with more alternative materials due to their flexibility, which can be excited in p‐ and s‐polarized light. In this research it is carried out a numerical investigation using the transfer matrix method on LMR sensor composed of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as lossy layer and Cytop as matching layer. The reflectance curves for different thicknesses of MoS2 and Cytop are numerically investigated. The results obtained show that the chip consisting of 250 nm Cytop and 4 layers of MoS2 has a penetration depth 3 times higher than conventional SPR chips. If sensors with two types of polarization are compared, sensors with s‐polarized light have shown higher sensitivity reaching 72.13°/RIU with a wider dynamic range starting from a refractive index of 1.331 to 1.401. In this refractive index range, this sensor has displayed good signal stability where the reduction in resonance dip depth is only ≈6%. These computational results make the proposed structure very promising to be applied in the quantification of biological materials.

Solvent effects on the electrochemical performance of few layered MoS2 electrodes fabricated using FTO substrates

Owing to its exceptional structural, electrical, and optical features, Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), a two-dimensional (2D) layered material with tuneable bandgap, finds its application in electrochemical supercapacitors for superior energy and power density. Because of their low toxicity and long-term energy storage, the development of MoS2-based supercapacitors is inevitable. The study of solvent effects on the electrochemical performance of a few layered MoS2 using FTO substrates is done for the first time to the best of our knowledge. Exfoliating bulk MoS2 powder in different solvents with variable surface tensions such as Ethanol, Ethylene Glycol (EG), Dimethylformamide (DMF), and Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) results in the formation of few-layered MoS2 structures. The sample’s structural, optical, and electrochemical behaviours are investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), cyclic-voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). XRD confirms the formation of a 2D MoS2 film with (002) planes and the optical investigation revealed the variation of layer-dependent bandgap with solvents. We observe both faradaic and non-faradaic charge storage mechanisms in the samples and demonstrate a superior pseudocapacitive behaviour for MoS2 in DMF with a maximum specific capacitance of 34.25 F g−1 at a current density of 1 A/g.

Realization of low potential barrier in MoS2/rGO heterojunction with enhanced electrical conductivity for thin film thermoelectric applications

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials in-plane anisotropy, caused by a low-symmetric lattice structure, has considerably increased their applications, particularly in thermoelectric. MoS2 and MoS2/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) thin films were grown on SiO2/Si substrate by atmospheric chemical vapor deposition technique to study the thermoelectric performance. Few layered MoS2 was confirmed by the vibrational analysis and the composition elements are confirmed by the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy technique. The continuous grains lead to reduced phonon life time in A1g and low activation energy assists to enhance the electrical property. The MoS2/rGO has achieved the highest σ of 22 622 S m−1 at 315 K due to an electron-rich cloud around the electrons in S atoms near the adjacent layer of rGO.