Controlled Micro/Nanodome Formation in Proton‐Irradiated Bulk Transition‐Metal Dichalcogenides

• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201903795
• Publication Date: 2019-09-23T07:20:26Z
• Authors: Davide Tedeschi; Elena Blundo; Marco Felici; Giorgio Pettinari; Boqing Liu; Tanju Yildrim; Elisa Petroni; Chris Zhang; Yi Zhu; Simona Sennato; Yuerui Lu; Antonio Polimeni
• Keywords: Nanometre; Crystal (programming language); Micrometer

Abstract At the few‐atom‐thick limit, transition‐metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) exhibit strongly interconnected structural and optoelectronic properties. The possibility to tailor latter by controlling former is expected have a great impact on applied fundamental research. As shown here, proton irradiation deeply affects surface morphology of bulk TMD crystals. Protons penetrate top layer, resulting in production progressive accumulation molecular hydrogen first interlayer region. This leads blistering one‐monolayer thick domes, which stud crystal locally turn dark material into an efficient light emitter. domes are stable (>2‐year lifetime) robust, host strong, complex strain fields. Lithographic techniques provide means engineer formation process so that can be produced with well‐ordered positions sizes tunable from nanometer micrometer scale, important prospects for far unattainable applications.