Advancements in Nanotechnology via a New Compound: Molybdenum Disulfide

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is a direct-gap semiconductor that can be used for transistors in nanotechnology. When in bulk, MoS₂ does not exhibit a gap in the band structure like in its single-layer form. The biggest band gap for MoS₂ exists when it is a single layer thick. We obtained monolayer MoS₂ through micromechanical exfoliation using a piece of Scotch tape and a hot plate on a Si/SiO₂ chip. Because adhesive is left on the chip, we annealed the samples in a furnace at 350 degrees and one-to-one parts of hydrogen and argon. We then evaporated chrome and gold contacts on the layer for electrical measurements. We hope to analyze the number of layers in a thin flake of MoS₂ using Raman spectroscopy and determine the band gap using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).